Woes Of a Paladin
by Ever-Wandering
Summary: Battlegrounds are certainly a fabulous way of letting loose some steam and getting a certain satisfaction from besting the enemy. Yet was it absolutely necessary to send in a pure pain in the you-know-what to take all this away? Apparently, yes.
1. Warsong Gulch

And this would be _precisely_ why she loathed battlegrounds.

One: she was the highest level of her class here; therefore, she must have all the know- how of how each battle worked. Wrong. She was a terrible strategist; her way of fighting was quite simple actually. Run, find the enemy, kill the enemy, get the loot and repeat. It worked quite well for her actually.

Two: she was a paladin; therefore, no matter _what_ she had to guard the damn flag. Hell no! She was the extra damage; she was what guaranteed the end of a fight, not a protector, well, not her class of paladin anyway. Retribution rocked!

Yet, always, because she was a sucker for guilt, she stayed behind and guarded the damnable flag.

Three: she was _always _all by herself.

Now, there are many reasons why this is a bad thing. Common sense dictates that there is no way a single person can guard anything, especially against an enemy as slippery as the Horde.

Alliance could _really_ suck at times.

…

Wenz sighed heavily, watching the mass of bodies scramble out of the doors on either side of the room. The battle ground leader, a level sixty- six death knight yelled, as if trying to intimidate someone.

"OWN THEM ALL!"

She groaned, smacking her forehead. It was one thing to look like an idiot, but to open your mouth and prove it was another thing. To her horror, just about everyone yelled back in agreement.

Why was she here again?

The paladin scowled darkly at the doorway, she had been guilt- ridden, _again_.

Why was she such a sucker for it?

Warsong Gulch- the current battle ground scenario was her favorite place to take out her anger on the Horde, yet it was also where the Alliance had its tendencies to really screw up. The same could be said for the Horde of course, not trash talking her faction at all, but being that the draenei only saw one side…well there you have it.

When a small group of level sixty- sevens had approached her, all of them, she winced at the memory, mages, had asked her pleadingly to help in war song to gain an "ultimate victory" she had only sighed tiredly.

"Sure, I'll help out." She smiled thinly, her eye twitching as they hooted with joy. _Why me…_

So now here she was, alone, guarding the flag, _alone_. It was a disaster waiting to happen.

She prided herself at reaching level sixty- nine, she was exuberant actually. Eighty was so close; she could almost reach out to it from its very far place on the horizon. It was every warrior's ultimate dream. To be the elite of the elite, to have younger players just stand there and stare at you in awe. Yet despite being level sixty- nine with a good number of hit points and being highly talented in damage per second, the paladin knew she was no match for a massive invasion in case the Horde managed to slip past the Alliance.

Which, mind you, they _always _seemed to do.

And they sent those God forsaken mages in first. She _hated_ mages.

Wenz shook her head lightly, snapping out of her internal rant and yawned widely. Whatever was going on beyond their base, she had no inkling, and she hardly cared after all.

"Oi! Base! Incoming! One upper level guy headed your way! PROTECT THE FLAG!" the battle ground leader roared, his voice shaking the spacious room, dust pelted her over the head which she swatted at angrily.

The paladin felt her eye twitch violently. After this damn thing was over, she was going to duel that annoying death knight, make him cry, beg for mercy and then laugh evilly, relishing in her moment of victory and vengeance as a crowd gathered around her and cheered her on…

Oh it would be wonderful.

Was it cold in here or was it just her?

"Ah damnit."She cursed, snapping her attention to her feet which were encased in a thick layer of ice; a spell only one class could wield so effectively…and so annoyingly well.

Mages.

Someone _really_ hated her.

"My, my, so this is what the Alliance has to guard their flag? I am quite disappointed, I wanted a good fight too." a silky male voice just about purred at her, the mockery in velvet undertones which immediately made her blood boil.

A mage was one thing, but a mage _and_ a stuck up blood elf?

Wenz glowered at the said male as he walked up to her slowly, a wicked smirk growing across his handsome face.

"Too bad, so sad." He blew a kiss at her, winking as he took his time to move around her and advance on the flag.

How stupid was this guy? She chuckled softly as the ice quickly vanished; she turned around, brandishing her sword and holy magic pelting the arrogant son of a youknowhat right smack in the back making him pause with a long sigh.

She hated blood elves for many reasons. One: they were too damn pretty. Even the guys. This one in particular had long orange- red hair that spiked down his back and around his long ears. His armor was black and red satin of the highest quality and it showed magnificently with a wicked looking staff strapped to his back and a wand now grasped in a gloved hand. Two: they were so damn arrogant about _everything_! She glowered darkly at the thought, memories of Bloodmyst soaring back over her to her first encounter with this accursed race- Matis the Cruel. Now that guy had been a real pain in the ass!

"Yeah, I don't think so pal." The paladin sneered, her eyes flashing as a feral grin grew across her face. He was also the same level as her.

Perfect- all her anger was going to be used up on this guy. And the death knight, of course.

The blood elf turned, a red brow rising as the smirk grew wider,

"So now you will try and fight me? I could have sworn you were off in la-la land when I first came in here. I was nice enough to just leave you as you were; you seemed so enamored with your thoughts after all." He stood directly in front of the flag, his wand now pointed directly at her, those green eyes narrowed in amusement.

Wenz rolled her eyes,

"I was bored as hell, cut me a bit of a break jerk. It seems like both sides are just on a standoff right now. You are the first one to come in here." She moved to the side, trying to get the mage to follow her lead, yet he stayed right where he was, that infuriating smirk still ever present on his face.

"Ah, my sincerest apologies, my dear," he bowed mockingly, his eyes never leaving hers, "it is quite the spectacle beyond these walls. Pity you have missed all the fun. The Alliance left you behind hm?" He saw an indignant flush spread across her pale blue cheeks, one of the puffing out now as those glowing eyes glared at him.

"Let's cut with the small talk shall we?" Wenz grumbled, feeling holy magic pulsating within her, begging to kick this guy's arrogant ass all the way back to Silvermoon. She grinned wickedly at the thought.

The blood elf nodded in agreement, his eyes glittering,

"Of course, of course, but let's do something rather unusual, shall we?" His hands began to glow blue, the paladin felt the icy chills and shuddered.

"Unusual? I would rather just kick your ass and go home to be quite honest." The draenei retorted with a snort. If the guy was showing off his ice magic she would show off too! Bright gold waves emanated from her, lighting up the room as she gripped her large sword tightly.

The blood elf studied her for a moment, his smirk stretching, if it was even possible, wider,

"What is your name, paladin?" he asked smoothly, his deep voice still that aggravating purr. Chills rushed down her spine before she could stop them, he noticed this and chuckled darkly.

"Why the hell do you want to know?" she snapped, the flush returning at full force on her face as the elf gave her a knowing look.

"Because it is proper to introduce oneself before rushing to the duel, is it not?" the mage replied silkily, his eyes becoming lidded so all she could see was the dark glow of green.

"Whatever, if it will get you to shut the hell up then fine," Wenz inhaled deeply, looking the elf dead in the eye before bowing mockingly, "Wenz Strider."

The blood elf's smirk turned into a wicked grin. He always got what he wanted.

"Suiting, very suiting," he watched amusedly as her flush burned brightly on her face once more before bowing deeply himself, "Slavion Bloodfell."

The female nodded curtly before her expression grew feral once more,

"Let's begin shall we?"

Ice met light magic before either was prepared, the shockwaves shook the room and everything went to hell from there.

…

Wenz groaned in pain, her body felt as if it had been stabbed by a million daggers paired with the flaring burns that now littered along her torso, revealing various bits of flesh here and there. They had been hacking away at each other ruthlessly, tossing out taunts and jibes as they went, just to fuel the fight on. When all of a sudden the stupid elf summoned an elemental of some sort that immediately swooped down on her, draining her of all mana and adding his lovely share of ice bolts to the mage's own spell power, in short, she had been so pathetically _owned_ it was not even funny.

The last thing she remembered was seeing the mage glow an odd shade of purple before feeling a shockwave unlike any she had ever felt before in her life, it grasped hold of her, making her gasp out loud in shock, and slammed her violently into the stone wall. She remembered vaguely, feeling the rough cold stone scratch at her back as she slipped down its surface darkness swooping over her vision, blood pooling beneath her and then blissful nothingness.

She craned her head up and just about shrieked. The blood elf, Slavion, was out cold unconscious as well.

Yet how in the unholy hell had he ended up on top of her? She was nothing short of a little freaked out. Her sword was nowhere within reach or sight and his body firmly kept her pinned down to the cold floor.

"I wish I had just died." Wenz moaned wincing slightly as the ethereal lights of the room jabbed at her eyes making her jam them shut immediately.

Maybe she could just lie here for a while. Wake up and this all was just a terrible nightmare…

Something was touching her face.

A warm hand was running down it almost soothingly while another was petting her long, black hair. She groaned softly, swatting at it sluggishly. This earned her a deep chuckle in response.

"You are quite cute when you sleep, Wenz Strider." _That voice!_

Wenz bolted up sharply only to be forced back down immediately, that voice scolding.

"You are in no condition to move, so just lie there."

"What the hell-?" she hissed opening her eyes slowly and glaring at the blood elf who, she noted with smug satisfaction, looked like hell too, and was also crouched next to her glaring at her through bleary green eyes.

"Be quiet, paladin, your talking is only making your condition worse."

She sighed out exasperatedly, letting her eyes close once more, her teeth gritting against the dull tremors of pain that continued to assault her body.

"Why should you care? You won, got get the flag, end this pathetic battle ground."

"Why would I want to do that?" Slavion replied slowly, a smirk back on his face, "that would just ruin all my fun you know."

"Besides," he scowled at her as he toyed agitatedly at his robes, "I cannot move anymore, it seems this battle ended in a draw, which, mind you, comes quite as a shock for me. I usually defeat every paladin I come across with complete absolution."

The paladin could not help but laugh out loud with a dramatic eye roll, coughing slightly,

"Of course it did. Damn. Now we are stuck here." She glanced sideways, noticing the elf had lain back down alongside her with a soft sigh, kneading his forehead gingerly.

"I guess so or at least for another fifteen minutes." The mage replied wearily now. He was completely drained of all mana resources; he did not think he would have to pull out every spell he knew on this girl. It had been quite the battle.

"For a stinking, arrogant, pig headed mage and pretty boy, you were pretty awesome." Wenz chuckled, feeling light headed, her words just slipping out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Slavion chuckled softly, amused,

"And for a foul mouthed, lazy, air head and goat, you were not too bad yourself."

Wenz was far too out of it to even react to his insult, she just laughed.

"This is so weird."

The blood elf nodded slowly, shielding his eyes from the light,

"Understatement. Our factions are going to either laugh their asses off or flay us alive, what do you think?"

Wenz snorted, a scowl growing on her face,

"My faction won't give a damn. I so want to kick that arrogant asshole's ass."

"Oh your charming leader? I had the pleasure of silencing his loud mouth on the way here." He cackled wickedly at the memory, the girl joined in, rubbing her hands together.

"I wish I had been there! I will have to finish him off later." She punched the air weakly before letting it fall limp again.

The mage laughed at the sight, cocking a brow at her,

"You are an odd one, you know."

She grinned widely at this, or as wide as she could in her beaten up state,

"Damn straight! I drive every other paladin crazy because I am not all self righteous and condemning the unholy and blah."

He shook his head, amused beyond all belief now yet remained quiet.

Minutes passed as they both just lied there, immobilized from their various wounds and from exhaustion until Wenz grumbled.

"Did you have to send that demented elemental after me like that? That guy was trying to eat me!"

Slavion chuckled; his eyes closed, a taunting smirk on his face,

"Lathes loves to fight. He especially loves to fight female draenei. I do not know why."

The girl continued to grumble mutinously under her breath, eyeing a particularly nasty bruise growing along her revealed side.

"And did you absolutely have to use every blessed hammer you have? I mean they were all over the place! Swooping around my head, banging me on top of the head, _flying_ at my head…" the blood elf mumbled, kneading his head tenderly. It hurt like hell.

Wenz snorted, folding her hands behind her head and threw him an amused look,

"When a paladin starts getting desperate, we throw every hammer we have. It usually works quite well."

"Desperate? I noticed you never healed yourself."

"Well of course not, it was a duel; you cannot heal yourself so I did not heal myself."

"You are so weird."

"Oh shove it pretty boy."

Silence settled between them again, before a sharp ring echoed across the room indicating her annoying leader was yelling again.

"Oi paladin? Did you defeat that sorry assed mage?"

Wenz flicked off the voice and let her eyes slip close.

"Well even if you did, it wouldn't mean anything. We were annihilated! Destroyed!"

Wenz rolled her eyes as Slavion chuckled at this, deeply amused.

"So we have to reschedule, we have to attain a victory! Glory to the Alliance!"

"Like hell." Wenz mumbled, letting her eyes slip close again.

After a couple of moments, the mage spoke up again, quietly.

"Oh why not? I would say this was rather entertaining don't you?"

The draenei could not help but to smile at this, opening one eye at the elf who was also looking at her, a genuine smile also on his face.

"You know, I agree, I may just have to come back now."

The smirk returned at full force,

"Next time, I am going to make sure you cannot snap out of la- la land."

Her expression grew dangerously feral,

"Next time, I am sending you to Silvermoon with a hoof print permanently imbedded in your ass."

They both laughed at this before the timer rang off, announcing the stand still of the two factions. Slavion looked across at the draenei, chuckling lightly.

"Until we meet again, my cute little paladin."

She smirked at him coyly,

"Right back at you pretty boy."

Battle grounds would never again be the same.

Now she had some death knight ass to kick…

**To be continued?**

**I hope you all enjoyed this, it is very random and quite unrealistic (from WOW) I know, but it made me laugh as I wrote it so there you have it. I always kind of wished that the Horde and the Alliance could _somehow_ communicate with one another (beside the gestures and the like). Anyhow, review if you so wish and if this is liked enough, perhaps I will write a continuation? Thank you for reading!**

**~Ever-Wandering**


	2. Alterac Valley

**Heck yeah! One review and two alerts for this story (I am not picky, all and anything will make me happy). Thank you so much!**

**Miss Dressage: I know! I understand _exactly_ what you mean. If anything the chat is always entertaining, I get so distracted by just reading through it and just laughing my head off, and I am usually bad about listening to a bg leader (with my luck, they are always similar to the characterization of the dk in chapter 1) -sigh-. Thank you for your review! I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)**

**Disclaimer: (I will do this from now on in the first chapters of any story I write, so not to possibly offend anyone). That said, _obviously_ I do not own World of Warcraft, its characters, its battlegrounds anything! I am but one of the millions of those who love this game (here and there) and this is how I show my appreciation.**

**Enjoy!**

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Her eye twitched for the fiftieth time now and she could have sworn that there were flames beginning to scorch the ground around her.

She was _pissed_.

Not only was it her official day of rest after just coming back from a week of hell in Northrend, oh no, she had been ambushed time and time again by the Horde everywhere she went. _Everywhere_. She had a sneaking suspicion someone was out to get her...

Besides the usual monsters anyway.

What made her day even worse was after reaching Dalaran for some well deserved rest she had stumbled upon one of the most idiotic sights she had ever witnessed. A level seventy two human death knight was having a glare down with a level seventy nine blood elf paladin who was just smirking his fool pretty head off.

She herself was only seventy three so she had every full intention on sliding past the two idiots and slipping away into her room to sleep when the death knight's attention snapped.

"Hey, hey you!"

No, he is not talking to me. Ignore the fool, ignore him, walk away. Just walk away.

"Paladin! Oi! Are you deaf? Come here!"

Her eye twitched again and she turned around, working up a fake smile on her face as she grated out, "What the hell do you want pest?"

Well, she _was_ exhausted.

The death knight was hardly offended, he huffed up and pointed an accusatory finger at the silent blood elf who now regarded her with an arrogant smirk.

She hated blood elves.

"This...this..._paladin_," the death knight hissed, "started laughing at me for no reason! And now he will not leave me alone! Do something!" The blood elf just chuckled and muttered something neither of them could understand but it made a group of orcs laugh uproariously as they trudged by.

"Death knight, what do you want me to do? As you may have failed to notice, he is higher level than both of us. Ignore him and he may go away." She turned around with an eye roll full intent upon leaving when the elf spoke up at last, his voice mocking and baiting.

"So Alliance paladins are cowards. I thought nothing less."

Wenz snapped.

One thing led to the other, she ended up challenging the arrogant ass to the Alterac Valley battleground because she was _not_ a coward (her pride was nothing short but a little wounded). He had only given her that typical blood elf smirk, his green eyes blazing and then replied in a dark purr, "I will find you little goat."

Then he stalked away chuckling, the death knight was hooting at her side and she had only one thought on her mind.

What the hell did I just do?

...

And why did she pick Alterac of all places? Northrend was cold enough!

She stood shivering amongst fifty or so other members of the Alliance, all in high spirits to tackle the Horde and gain an ultimate victory against their enemy blah blah.

She stopped paying attention when she recognized the leader was the same idiotic death knight who had gotten her into this mess. She really wanted to hurt him.

"My fellow warriors, warlocks, hunter, mages, death knights, rogues and paladins alike," he began but was cut off by some protests from the priests and druids in the background, "as well as my noble priests and druids too!" A roar came from the crowd, Wenz only scowled and glared at the human mutinously.

"We have battled hard against our enemy, we have led assault after assault and to what end my friends? Today will be our victory! No longer will we be ridiculed for our performance in battle grounds, we _will_ win! So fight my brothers and sisters, side by side we will gain what is rightfully ours! Glory to the Alliance!"

Applause and cheering followed the motivational speech and Wenz was struck by deja vu, a chill ran down her spine at the thought of this death knight possibly being related to another death knight pain in the...

"Onwards then! OWN THEM ALL!"

She slapped herself on the forehead. Someone really hated her.

The mass of bodies surged from the gates onto the narrow snowy pathways which led up to the mountains of the keeps where the dwarf commanders awaited their reinforcements. Not only was there a _tiny_ pathway but considering all the people and their mounts who were hell bent upon getting to it first, in all the confusion and scrambling, Wenz found herself being pushed and shoved further and further back until she was at the very end of the group and the last to exit the cave where they waited.

She groaned in frustration, tugging at the reigns of her charger as she did so,

"I am such an idiot!" Alterac Valley was not her number one choice of battle grounds, the preferred somewhere much warmer thank you very much, but _no,_ she just had to let that stupid pretty boy bait her...

She shook her head, now was not the time to be brooding. The Horde was just as bad here as they were everywhere else. Somehow, someway they always found a way to slip past their guard and go after the stragglers in the back. Wenz sighed, pulling out her map as she began the trudge up the steep mountain pass hearing battle cries and shouting come from the distance. Maybe by the time she actually got there it would all be over. That would be wonderful actually, save her much grief and shame.

Her horse whinnied softly, stopping short all of a sudden, the paladin patted its side encouragingly. "Come on now, we have to at least make an attempt to make it to where everyone else is. Do not mind me, I am just throwing my own pity party." She chuckled dryly at this when her horse cried out fearfully, rearing back uprooting her before taking off into the snowy distance. Wenz landed hard on the rock path with a grunt of pain, the ice making her slip to the edge where she held onto it tightly, her heart pounding in her chest as adrenaline raced through her.

Her paranoia was definitely kicking in, her senses on high alert as her gloved hands held vice like onto...wait, this was _not _a rock.

"Well hello again, darling." She knew that voice and her mouth dropped open in horror as the face of the same blood elf paladin peered over at her a sneer across his handsome face. The girl made quick to let go of his leg but he was faster than she, he had her by the scruff of her neck, pulling her up off the cliff edge bringing her so they met eye- to- eye.

"Fancy seeing you here." Wenz choked, her hands fumbling to reach her sword, the hand on the back of her armor, _anything_! He only chuckled darkly, holding her further out, an eyebrow rising as he did so.

"You should be thanking me."

Wenz stopped flaying around wildly and gave him a look that clearly said 'You seriously must think I am stupid huh?' and huffed, crossing her arms across her chest and looking away from him as he cheeks flamed in humiliation. "Alright, alright you made your point now either kill me or toss me off the cliff and save me the grief."

The blood elf paladin threw back his head and just laughed, setting her down on the path as he did so and patting her head. He snorted, wiping away invisible tears and smirked at her. "I see his point, mind the cliff edges darling, there will not always be a dashing elf there to save you." He continued to laugh as he summoned his warhorse, casting her one more amused glance before charging off to the battle once more.

_What the hell just happened?_

Wenz was _pissed_. Sure she was only level seventy- three, sure she had been thrown off her mount as if she were just learning how to ride, _sure_ she had been dangling from a cliffside but where the heck had that guy come from?

She really hated blood elves. Growling curses that would later get her smote or something else terrible, she straightened her armor, unsheathed her behemoth sword and trudged onwards her eyes gleaming.

There was going to be _hell_ to pay one way or another she would have vengeance!

...

The paladin was panting by the time she made it to the top of the ledge where two fortresses stood side by side their tall peaks illuminated in the grey sky. The girl grumbled darkly under her breath as she heard war cries echoing from within one of the towers making to move in that general direction when a chill ran down her spine.

Someone, _something_ was watching her.

She was mad, she was cold, she was tired, so being the typical hot head she growled out, "Either you come out and fight and stop being a damn creeper or I am going to seriously kick your ass!" She was so not in the mood for this damn battle ground anymore!

The snow crunched lightly near a line of trees to her right and she tensed, her hands tightening on her sword vice- like when a figure emerged from the brush, aquamarine eyes fixated upon her hungrily. She paled instantly, taking a step back before hissing.

"Oh shit!" And she ran as if her life depended upon it. The void walker swiftly falling, its rasping chortle sending tremors down her spine.

Wenz would have fought it off but she knew this creature, it took her back to a not so great memory in another battle ground instance, and she wanted nothing to do with it at all! It freaked her out and she just knew its master was watching somewhere, finding all this all so terribly amusing. If she wanted a reprieve from this living _hell_ she needed to find the one controlling the mad void walker swooping upon her, ice magic radiating from its form as it hovered after her and put a stop to this before she really made a fool out of herself!

"Lathes, do catch her, we are not playing tag my friend." a silky voice all but purred from the cover of trees, green eyes glinting with wicked intentions at the sight before him. The void walker growled in acknowledgement, coming to a stop and focusing his magical energy on the draenei female.

Said draenei female noticed the creature's stop and felt more chills rush down her spine in awful recognition. "Oi! Mage pretty boy! I know you are in there! Leash your damn void creature and give me a fair fight!" She demanded, turning around to face the void walker who was glowing a florescent blue, its claws outstretched towards her. She swallowed anxiously at the sight but held her ground, tightening the grip on her sword while feeling her light magic pulsate around her.

The void walker suddenly stopped glowing, those eerie eyes widening before it let out an anguished screech as it vanished. Wenz blinked bewilderedly.

"I see la-la land has not yet eluded you, paladin." a masculine voice whispered in her ear, and before the girl could react she felt her entire body grow stiff, her eyes narrowing as the owner of the voice slipped from behind her and stood before her smirking devilishly at her.

"Wenz Strider, so good to see you once more." Slavion Bloodfell's wand was outstretched in one hand while the other held a staff made of mythril, it glimmered slightly in the snowy background. "My party leader had mentioned there was a foul mouthed paladin in the area, as he was so kind to inform me of this fact, and I see I was not incorrect of my assumption as to who this said individual would be." He chuckled, seeing her eyes narrow into angry slits.

Wenz wanted to break the ice that had compacted so tightly and intricately about her, yet she was unable to call upon her release magic, a low growl escaped her lips and she shook slightly. 'Stupid ice barrier contraption, I have to break this!'. The iciness of her enclosure made her shudder violently and gasp for breath. 'So he wants to play this way huh...stupid arrogant elf...'

"Although, if I may," he paused his smirk widening at her quivering and at the flush across her face, "it was quite _bold_ of you to get in the face of one whom is so much higher level than yourself. If he were not my cousin, he for surely would have killed you instead of leaving you for another to spar with."

The paladin felt warmth flood through her as she thought hard of her different light incantations, and the pure feral determination to kick this guy's sorry ass, he had such nerve going to such lengths! With this thought in mind plus her irritation at his boastful words, the ice splintered around her and shattered sending ice particles in all directions.

Light emanated around her and the draenei laughed in sheer relief as she could move once more. With a wicked glimmer in her glowing eyes, she looked up at the now silent yet shocked form of the blood elf, a smirk growing across her face.

"You are _seriously_ going to regret today elf." Wenz hissed, her sword in one hand while the other pointed at him challengingly.

Slavion moved past his shock and regained his former arrogance, "Oh? I am?"

"Yes, you are," the girl growled, light pulsating around her as she began her rush towards the mage, "because all I wanted to do today was sleep damn it and this is all YOUR fault!"

The mage barely had time to counter her fierce attack with a shockwave, sending her back several feet, yet that hardly fazed her as she summoned a light of judgement upon him before rushing once more. The blood elf cursed as the golden hammer swirled about his head before conking him right between the eyes sending him flying back.

He was not the only one to have gained some new tricks!

Before he could rise, she was hovering over him, her sword point at his throat, he peered up at her, "Well now, it appears I underestimated you paladin, what will you do now?"

"Oh shut the hell up," Wenz grumbled, nudging his side with the toe of her boot, scowling at him darkly, "tell that cousin of yours that he is a true ass hole, as are you, and that this is _far _from over." Her pride was still bruised damn it all! The blood elf was now just smirking up at her, remaining silent as she continued to rant.

"I do not give a rat's ass about this battle ground, I am going _home_, I am fed up with this damn cold and you nor anyone else is going to do a damn thing about it!" Her eyes glowed fiercely, they were both twitching like crazy.

Finally the mage spoke up once more, moving the point of her sword from his neck easily and rising to his feet, brushing off the snow from his black and scarlet robes. "We will continue this, however, instead of such a dismal and cold place, " the elf cast an ominous look about him before meeting her eyes once more, "we will go to the Eye of the Storm. Do not back out, Wenz Strider, you started this after all." His eyes gleamed at the flush that spread across her entire face.

She stamped her foot angrily, "Fine! Whatever! Leave your creepy void pet at home! That guy seriously freaks me out!" She turned from him, sighing in relief at the two minute warning call over head, determined to trudge her way back down to the cave entrance after retrieving her awol horse.

"As you wish, _darling_." The blood elf taunted, chuckling as her flush grew darker. She promptly flicked him off and sprinted into the distance. 'Yes,' he thought, a feral grin growing across his handsome face, 'this little feud of theirs had only just begun.' And he too turned around, full intent of being rid of this place _for all eternity_.

Northrend was hell as it was.

...

"Where WERE you?" was the cry of utter indignation from their battle ground leader as she approached the mouth of the cave, patting her horse soothingly as she slid off its back.

"We lost! We lost _again_! You should have been there! This is intoler-" he was cut off by Wenz's fist knocking to the top of his head hard, her eye twitching murderously.

"I just want to SLEEP!" The paladin crowed, stomping past the startled group of weary Alliance fights, and right out of the arena (not before it annouced the victory of the Horde first).

The paladin was going to sleep for a week and there was absolutely no one or _nothing_ anyone could do to stop her! That was until she got to her room, collapsed on her bed and felt something poking the back of her neck. Curiously she felt around the inside of her armor around her neck, her fingers gripped a slip of paper and she pulled it out.

_Darling_ goat and oh- so scary hot head,

Two days, Eye of the Storm. Lathes knows your scent and knows where to find you.

Or is my dear cousin right? Are Alliance paladins cowards?

Prove me wrong.

Said pretty boy elf,

Slavion

PS: Not even YOU can deny my handsomeness, my dear, I am flattered.

xoxo

She saw red.

And there would be extreme hell to pay as the flames of hell returned around her, her eyes glimmering and a cackle escaped her lips.

Yes, there would be...

Anyone who did hear her maniacal cackling chose to ignore it (to the best of their ability), some things were best left unsaid after all.

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**I, sadly, am not extremely familiar with the play style of mages (always found it too complicated...) so I used something from the first chapter and elaborated on it. I probably should have mentioned it, even if it is a given, they are both (Slavion and Wenz) the same level and will continue this feud for how ever many chapters you are willing to put up with it! Thank you for reading!**

**Once more, any kind of response is greatly appreciated, and again I want to thank all who added this story to their alerts and to Miss Dressage who reviewed :)**

**~Ever-Wandering**


	3. The Eye of the What?

**Hello all! It has been a while, I apologize for any who waited (or cared to anyway). I want to take time to thank my two reviewers, Miss Dressage and mayami mizuki :) thank you both very much for your reviews! I hope you all enjoy this chapter, it should be quite interesting...**

**Miss Dressage: I greatly appreciate you reviewing again! Thank you :) I have only been to Alterac Valley once, haha, that is why I did not go into great detail about the layout and everything. My blood elf mage is based off a friend of mine's character, he is a bit like that and I cannot stand it lol. I had a complete lapse of memory moment from the elementals and void walkers thing for mages, I may go back and correct it but well we will see. Thank you again for reviewing, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**mayumi mizuki: Thank you :D I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: _Obviously_ I do not, will not, or ever will own World of Warcraft of any part of it. So with that said, read on (and review if you so wish)!**

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Wenz blinked and scratched her head, which was tilted slightly to one side in thought as her life long mentor and friend Celtor explained the mechanics of the "Eye of the Storm" to her.

She was not getting it _at all_.

"...so if you just focus on that, then you will be just fine! Wenz?"

The paladin snapped out of her bleary confusion and flushed at the amused expression on the dwarf's face, "Lass, I am trying to help you here," he said exasperatedly, giving her one of those looks that made her feel like a bug, "pay attention!"

Wenz snorted, crossing her arms across her chest and puffed out one cheek in agitation. "Why should I have to give into the taunts of an annoying elf anyhow? What could he possibly do to me?" she grumbled, glaring at the accursed letter clutched in Celtor's hand.

The dwarf sighed, having explained himself now for the twenty time at least, holding the note out to her, "Look, whatever this Lathes creature is, do you really want it knocking on your door one day?" A brow rose at the horror that dawned on the draenei's face and she shook her head furiously.

Celtor chuckled softly, glancing at the letter that had been troubling his friend for over half the day, and he placed a hand on her shoulder smiling, "You are powerful and wise Wenz, your greatest pitfall is your temper but even that you can use to your advantage when you are not in a mad rage."

"Hey, I am not here to be lectured you. I think temper problems are a paladin problem that applies to us _all_. Is that not right Celtor?" Wenz grinned teasingly at the dwarf who narrowed his eyes at her warningly.

"Do not change the subject, I am still higher level than you by three levels." He remarked smugly, noting the frustration and challenge spark in her jewel colored eyes.

"Only because you leveled through going after other players like a madman. I on the other hand did it the old fashioned "let's go adventuring!" way. Do not judge me." The draenei scowled, thrusting the letter in his face a strained look on her face, "What am I to do about this pesky elf? I know nothing about the Eye of the Storm only that it is the classic battle ground for blood elves and draenei and your explanation has not helped at all!" She groaned in despair and banged her head on the table top gaining several amused glances from others in the tavern.

"It really is not that complicated. Just do what you have always done, go in and kill Horde. What else is it other than that? Forget the technical nitty gritty and just go after this elf of yours-"

"That is not funny." She cut it blushing darkly which he smirked at ignoring her completely.

"-and show him the true power of a paladin as well as a proud soldier of the Alliance."

Wenz sighed, rising from the table, scowling at him as she gripped her sword and placed its sheath across her back, "You were no help at all. If I die, you are the first one I am coming to haunt."

The dwarf only laughed at this, toasting her mockingly with his mug of beer and grinned, "Well if that is the case my friend, best of luck to you in battle and please, _please_ do not let this mage best you. Imagine what the Vindicator would say..."

Wenz scowled darker at dwarf, flicking him off callously before sulking out of the tavern, leaving behind his raucous laughter as she did so her eye twitching violently.

Okay, dwarves were now added to her "Those Whom I (_really_) Resent" list. Number one being mages of course next to blood elves thanks to a certain red headed elf named Slavion.

They were all just bastards.

...

She just _knew _something like this was going to happen to her.

An undead warlock laughed sinisterly behind her, its pet succubus cooing at her while flicking its tail this and that way, taunting her from her hiding place, "Oh draenei, sweet little paladin, you are _so _lost are you not? We can help you you know. Come out come out, we promise to be merciful."

"But master, I really want to-"

"Shh my darling Kelix, our poor lost draenei may be close by."

"Yes master."

Wenz shuddered, bringing her knees close to her chest and began to pray to whomever cared to listen to her, "I really, really, really, really do not want to die like this!" she hissed, her grip on her sword painfully tight as her heart throbbed in her throat.

How had she gotten herself into this situation again? She scowled darkly as the succubus giggled flirtatiously close to her hiding spot. It was only a matter of time before she was found. Wenz gulped at this thought, sweat running down her brow.

Really, she should have paid attention to Celtor more or done her own research before jumping into this battle scenario blindly. She had _no _clue what was going on at all! First the paladin had literally been beamed into the battle area, which reminded her awfully of Outland, and was almost immediately surrounded by Horde fighters (what the hell!) The group had then split up and darted in every which direction while she had stood there gaping like a fish out of water (looking quite intelligent she was sure) thus leading her to this predicament. An undead warlock had locked (ha) eyes with her, grinning evilly while summoning its hell spawn skank and had charged. The guy was seventy nine, she was still only seventy three, so what did she do?

Ran like _hell_.

Wenz groaned in complete despair, beating a fist on her forehead, 'Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot! I am such a complete idiot!' Of course this was not entirely her fault.

Where was that freaking mage?

He had been so ambiguous in his letter, not saying when, where, what time nothing to indicate how this little battle of theirs would play out or _anything_! The paladin glowered at the letter tucked in her waist pack and wished she could send it and this entire situation to the pits of doom.

"Oh look what I found..." a sickening sweet purr sent nasty chills down her spine and Wenz found herself rooted in place as a thick leathery coil wrapped around her, the succubus smiled at her sweetly, "my master will be so pleased with me!" Wenz struggled in the vice- like grip of the cords around her, cursing in vain as her sword fell to the ground, and glared at her captor menacingly.

The succubus' smile turned into a sneer as she lashed at the paladin, making the girl hiss in pain as thorns now imbedded into her flesh from the cord wrapped about her, not enough to make her bleed but just enough to inflict aggravating amounts of pain. Wenz opened her mouth to make some smart remark but found herself unable to speak, her eyes widened in horror as the skank hell witch cackled, leaning down close to her whispering poisonously, "That's right paladin, those thorns are covered in a special poison my master concocted. You will eventually go numb from head to toe for twenty- four hours. He alone has the antidote. You are completely at our mercy now, little draenei."

Wenz felt like crying. Why was this happening? Why did that evil thing not just kill her?

Her entire body, like the succubus had said, was completely frozen. Unable to speak, the only thing she could do was move her eyes around, and she sincerely wished someone would just come along and kill her already, seriously.

The succubus giggled once more, leaning over and scooping the immobile draenei over her shoulder before sauntering over to where the warlock waited, a vile smirk on his rotted face at the sight.

"Excellent job my darling," his eerie yellow eyes traveled across Wenz' frozen form, the smirk widening at the paladin's narrowed eyes, "we will be rewarded grandly for this."

The succubus inhaled sharply, chortling, "Oh I cannot wait!"

'Someone, anyone..._please kill me_!' Wenz screamed internally her eyes shooting about frantically as the undead summoned his fel mount, dismissed the succubus and tossed her on its back. He climbed on behind her, grinning down at her wickedly, kicked his mount and began to move farther away from the starting area.

Stress, exhaustion, humiliation and anger overwhelming her, the paladin fell unconscious, the poison fully in her blood system by that point and she knew nothing more.

...

"My reward?"

"As promised, but how in the blazes did you accomplish this?"

"He was right, from what my succubus told me, she was completely out of it before she was captured."

"How amusing, well he will be most pleased. The poison should wear off anytime now yes?"

"Correct, it meant to paralyze the entire body for just a day and the trip from the battle ground to this camp took just that long."

"Excellent, here is your reward."

...

When the paladin came to, she half expected, half hoped to be dead. Fate, Naruu, _someone _must really hate her. Groaning softly, she sat up, noting dully that her wrists and ankles were bound and all her weapons had been taken from her.

Well that was just grand.

She never got to even fight in the Eye of the Storm, she had been to busy playing hide and seek with that evil warlock...and had been captured! 'Oh good job Wenz, this is all your fault.' Now she was probably going to be held for some stupid ransom or her head was going to put on a pike as a bramble of Horde fighters raided Stormwind, or they would mail her head to the Exodar...

Wherever she was, she needed to escape. Which was a great leap of progress if she could actually _see_. Some fool had blindfolded her as well.

Wenz could just imagine Celtor's face at a time like this, the dwarf was probably sick with worry. She was supposed to meet up with him afterwards and relay all her horror stories. Now there was absolutely no telling what her fate was to be...

Her ears picked out muffled rustling of a cloth of some sort, and she felt arms (strong arms- oh dear) easily lift her from the grassy earth. Cool air tickled her face and arms lightly and she shuddered at the sensation, yet quickly cursed her impulse as a dark chuckle resounded.

_Wait..._

"Has she come to her senses? Gentleman, was it absolutely necessary to bind her in such a way when her weapon is clearly not anywhere close by?" a male voice chastised.

A male voice she quickly recognized and sneered at impulsively.

"So this was all your doing was it? What the hell! Why even make me go to that infernal battle ground anyway? Where the hell were you?"

The voice chuckled softly, "Maybe we should have gagged her as well."

"Hey you-!"

She was dropped suddenly, landing on the ground painfully, and felt a rush of chills race down her spine as a presence she definitely did not want to be close to her lean towards her interestedly.

"Lathes, remove her blindfold."

"Stay away from me, do not touch me or I swear I will _bite _you to death you freaky water demon spawn-!"

The elemental rattled at her before slashing at the back of her head, the blindfold slid down her face revealing a camp fire, wintery forest enclosure as well as a blood elf who was regarding her with an amused expression on his face.

Wenz glanced from the elemental hovering at her side to the elf and sighed exasperatedly, "So what gives?"

The blood elf pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly, the look of amusement vanishing from his expression, "Strider, we have a problem." the mage began but she cut him off vehemently.

"_Seriously_? What led you to this conclusion you oaf? I was where I was supposed to be, ready to take you on but _noo_ you had send in cronie (why the heck are level seventy- nines listening to a a guy barely past seventy by the way?) and capture me! What the hell is this about?" She was practically foaming at the mouth, her expression livid.

"If you will just-"

"And you owe me a new weapon! It was so graciously stolen from me as I am sure you can see and I really liked that sword jerk!"

"-Listen to me, I will explain everything." Slavion hissed agitatedly, ice crackling about them warningly, to which Wenz promptly grew silent but continued to glare at the blood elf darkly.

He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose once more, a flush creeping up his neck and covering his cheeks, Wenz dead panned.

"Are you sick or something? You sit there too much longer in this cold and even Mr, Ice-alot will get infected of something. Ha, you may even get a cold!"

Slavion gave Lathes a look, to which the elemental turned to Wenz and stretched its watery arms towards her making her shriek in indignation, "Fine! Fine! I will shut up!"

The mage looked her straight in the eye, crossed his arms across his chest and said something that would fill every nightmare she would have from this point on.

"My King thinks that we are lovers."

Wenz's mouth opened and closed several times, a flush spread across her face.

"So, because he thinks this, he has ordered me to kill you. If I do not then I will be killed." Slavion continued grimly, his eyes darkening.

"Um so...what?" Wenz replied meekly, her voice higher pitched than usual.

"So, Strider, I have a proposition. Since I cannot defy my King, since he happens to be my uncle, but I would rather not have to kill you." The elf was stern now, his gaze sharp.

"Ok...so what is your idea?" The paladin asked, her eyes wide. 'Dear Naruu, why are you punishing me like this?'

"How would you like to be a blood elf for a day?" he asked seriously, his eyes narrowed at hers challengingly.

Wenz was absolutely speechless. What could she say? What the hell was going to happen next?

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**I was a bit worried about twisting it like this, but I will see how I do :) **

**Thank you for reading and once again thank you to all who have reviewed!**

**~Ever- Wandering**


	4. A Matter of Perception

**Hello all! Usually I will update about every Friday because that is just the best day of the week to do so, but I could not help but update early instead thanks to the reviews I have received! Thank you very much to shadowdemon6 and Dawnchaser :) **

**This chapter elaborates a teensy bit of Wenz's character and background. No Slavion in this one but he his mentioned (of course). I hope it turns out okay and is not boring!**

**shadowdemon 6: The next chapter will be the one you are looking forward to :) this one may be a bit boring, but I just felt like explaining Wenz's character a bit more. Hm, well they definitely do not _dislike_ each other, hehe. Thank you very much for your review!**

**Dawnchaser: Your suggestion at elaborating on Wenz's background was an awesome one! I hope this chapter helps with that drama you were looking for (and is not a complete fail aka too boring). Mages are a true pain. I agree 100%. I could never level one up because they frustrate me so much haha. As for the romance factor between Slavion and Wenz, well that is definitely on the development as you will see pieces of in this chapter, slight but hey it is there! Thank you very much for your review! :)**

**Disclaimer: blahblahblah No, I do not own WOW. Now read on, be entertained, (and review if you so wish!)**

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As a little girl with stubs for horns on her head and a tail that would have made a kitten proud, Wenz Strider could have lived a a life like any other draenei child. Except there was one issue, and her only issue if that. The Vindicator, her father.

He was the hero of her people, he single handedly along with Alliance heroes stormed the blood elf keeps and camps and fought for their freedom. Strong, mighty, valiant, he was the ideal image of what every hero was meant to be and that was the expectation.

Perhaps it was her rebellious attitude, perhaps it was being left at home alone so often, perhaps it was because she just never fit in because her father was who he was and he just flat out _scared_ any friends she could have possibly had, but when it came to raising his only daughter, he was not a hero at all, at least not to her.

She always only saw his strong back and heard words that never comforted, "Wenz, appreciate the life you have been given. Be strong, your people need you."

Of course she knew that, she had not yet been born when their ships had crashed upon this strange world known as "Azeroth", so her understanding of what was good and bad was naive just as any child's understanding of the world should be. Her mother, from the rumors and talk she heard, had been a strong, proud woman whom showed little fear to anyone or anything. Narkessa had been amongst the first priests to go into battle, and she had been a powerful yet gentle leader. Wenz was not very clear of just how exactly her mother died but she did know that her father became a different man afterwards.

War and blood changed people, Wenz now understood that very well.

She was amongst the very fortunate of her people, being the second hand man to the Prophet had its perks. While she was left alone frequently she always had a guard of some servant accompanying her, but she had been such a _brat _as a child. Maybe that was why her father resented her or why he could never look her in the eye.

It was on the first days of her paladin training that she finally was able to see what her father really was. He was a charismatic and strong leader, yet he was absolutely merciless to any who did not meet his standards in strength.

_"Papa, I plan on joining the battle. I want to be a paladin like you!" _

Wenz winced at that memory, shaking her head roughly and glancing once more at the note crushed in her hand from Slavion.

_Strider,_

_Respond in a week with your answer by meeting me in the portal room in Dalaran. All will be explained in due time. Choose wisely paladin, I will not carry out the deed, my cousin will and I assure you, that is not what I want at all. _

_Regards,_

_Slavion_

It was already Wednesday and she had not yet come to a decision about this new turn of events. After he had just laid the bomb on her, so to speak, he had a high elf companion of his escort her from the snowy forestry the Howling Hills into the Alliance stronghold camp close by, bowing elegantly before her before leaving her alone to her muddle of thoughts.

Well her life just got a hell of a lot more screwed up than ever.

_"Why can you not meet my expectations, girl? You are falling behind too rapidly to even hope to catch up! Are you not my child?"_

Wenz scowled darkly, punching her pillow angrily, wishing her father's damn phantom would just _go the hell away_. This always happened when she was at her worst.

To make the situation even worse for her, when she thought she could escape even more torment, Celtor had approached her relieved yet strained at the same time. Before she could even question why she had felt a heavy hand on her shoulder and a stern voice ordering her to appear before the Vindicator in the back of the tavern immediately.

The paladin sighed tiredly, rolling over on her back and staring up at the ceiling, one hand shielding her eyes wishing she could forget the memory altogether.

...

"Strider, explain your whereabouts from yesterday evening up until about two hours ago." Those piercing, steel eyes she _loathed_ bore down upon her, looking away from her eyes as always but still making her feel as if she was nothing more than filth.

"I was at a battleground, _Vindicator_, the Eye of the Storm-" she began condescendingly but was cut short by his hand seizing the front of her shirt.

"Tell me it is not true." The large draenei hissed, his mouth curling into a nasty sneer.

Wenz remained impassive, though her heart was pounding painfully in her chest.

"Tell me these forsaken _rumors _of **my** daughter running around with a bastard blood elf are not true and you had better not even _dare _lie to me." He had practically spat, his grip tightening almost painfully.

"Vindicator, these rumors you have been listening to are wrong. I battled a blood elf in the battle grounds. That is all." She replied stoically, putting a hand atop of his and pushing it off disgustedly. "Do not touch me. If that is all, I take my leave." Turning sharply from her father, she had every intention of escaping his presence and going somewhere to vent her anger but his hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Then explain to me why your sword is missing, _dearest daughter_." He whispered dangerously, his fingers digging into her shoulder.

"I lost it in a battle with a Horde fighter six levels higher than myself," Wenz replied coolly, shrugging his hand off her shoulder and storming to the door her face flushing in fury, "be sad father, for I survived the battle and did not die as you so want me to."

The Vindicator only laughed, it was a humorless, cold laugh that sent chills down her spine, "So you are still weak then?"

His answer was a slammed door.

...

Her father had not always been so cold, others had told her trying to sooth her fierce hatred of him, but she did not care what he once was. In her eyes he was nothing but a emotionless tyrant who cared only for his glory and how much blood he shed.

Being alone as child had done nothing but harden her heart and solidify her resolve to be his _exact _opposite.

Her lips quirked in a wry smirk at this thought. She had accomplished this feat beyond her wildest dreams.

It had happened on the last day of their paladin training before they were sent on their first quests, their final test had been to go into the wilds of Azuremyst, encounter a foe, slay it and bring back proof of the kill.

Wenz, wanting nothing to do with her father and his jibes, or of her fellow trainees who sneered at her because she was seemingly weaker than they, had ventured far into the forest only wanting to become lost to them but had found something else in return.

"Y-You! Stay there! Do not come any closer!" a higher pitched yet soothing voice ordered shakily as Wenz had backed father into the thicker brush. Surprised that she had been found so quickly, the draenei had snarkily replied without turning around to face her opponent.

"So you found me huh? Now what? I am alone, do your worst you cowards!"

"I beg your pardon you blue skinned _goat_ I am not a coward!" the voice replied insulted yet arrogant at the same time. Wenz, barely past the age of eleven, turned a brow rising at the insult to see the strangest creature she had ever seen.

"What _are _you?" Wenz asked her eyes widening as her eyes observed the most beautiful being she had ever laid eyes on. He was young, about her age with wavy blonde hair that fell about his pale face cutely, shaping two long pointed ears and poison green colored eyes. His mouth was quivering slightly but his grip on his sword was firm as he waved it at her tauntingly.

"Me? I am a blood elf fool! You are trespassing on _our_ lands!" His mouth pouted slightly and Wenz dropped her sword point and just giggled.

"A blood elf? Never heard of one but you sure are cute!" She smiled widely at the blush that covered his cheeks and nose.

"I am not cute..." The boy mumbled, his own sword point lowering slightly.

"The name's Wenz, Wenz Strider. What is yours?" She leaned closer, looking at his ears interestedly, his flush darkened and he fell over, grabbing his sword and waving it at her warningly.

"I will not tell you! Now be gone! Before I slay you!"

Wenz put a hand on one hip, her tail flicking behind her slightly as she gave him an appraising look, "Slay me? What did I ever do to you?"

The boy wrinkled his nose, his pout becoming more pronounced, "Just go away!"

"Not until you tell me your name at least!" She said teasingly, winking at him as his flush grew even darker.

"Mikalas Celenstar, now _please_ before we are found-"

"Okay, okay _Mikalas_, I will go now. It was nice meeting you!" Wenz waved at him cheerfully before skipping back through the brush leaving the poor blood elf still on the ground flustered and speechless.

Her father had almost exploded when she told him of her meeting the boy in the woods, he had grabbed her sword from her and threw into the river without saying a word before stalking back into the ship. The others who had killed furblogs or the various mutant creatures that stumbled over the surrounding area had scurried after him. Wenz retrieved her sword with a heavy sigh, emerging from the pond soaked to the skin and approached the entrance of the ship only to be not allowed in by the guard stationed there.

"Wha-" She sputtered, wringing out her dripping wet hair and tail as the guard pointed his spear at her before replying sternly.

"Orders, from the Vindicator, any who does not recognize his enemy and kill it is not to be allowed into the ship. Repent and become stronger, young one." With that he turned, went inside the ship and barred the door.

...

Wenz grit her teeth in fury at the memory. She never forgave her father for that incident. They had not yet learned about blood elves only the smaller, weaker creatures on the island. Yet, unknown to her, her father had made it _very_ clear to her companions that all blood elves deserved to die and were to be killed on sight that evening while she had slept the hollow of rocks close to the stream.

And the next day, she had woken up to find a warm blanket covering her and a plate of food laying next to her with a note tucked between the apple and chunk of bread.

_Wenz_,

_You looked cold and I am sure you will be hungry._

_Mikalis_

Tears burned in the young girl's eyes, whispering a quiet thank you to her new friend before eating her little meal. It was not until that evening would she witness the horrors she had only heard of.

Every last one of them, from the oldest man to the youngest child- all dead.

Wenz had not been allowed to go, her sword had been broken into two and she had been ordered to stay behind.

"Strider, you fail. You will be a healer, any that are wounded will be in your care, can you even do that?" The Vindicator sneered at her before marching into the direction of the forest where she had met Mikalis. Wenz did not care about any of that, so being who she was, she had escaped the confines of the ship and raced back towards the forest, her heart pounding painfully in her chest.

'Please, please Naaru do not let him be dead. Please let Mikalis be alive, please...' she had prayed so hard, running as fast as she could, her body growing numb to the branches slapping at her face as she sprint towards distant battle cries and screams.

Yet when she stumbled upon the scene, her heart stopped as her knees met the ground. They were all murderers. Were her people no better than the monsters they fought against?

Ragged coughing drew her attention away from her horror as well as an awful gurgling sound. Wenz followed the noise until a soft voice whispered in the gloom of the setting sun, a light rain began to descend upon the earth.

"Get...aw...away..."

Wenz's heart broke at the sight of Mikalis, his stomach run in by a sword, blood running from the corners of his mouth as his green eyes looked up at the sky blearily.

"No, no..." she had fallen to the ground, her arms around him lifting him into her lap while he protested weakly.

"We...nz...lea...leave..."

"Shut the hell up." The paladin growled, tears rolling down her face as the rain grew heavier about them.

In her arms he had died, she had sung him soothing songs in her native tongue, petting his soaked hair gently as his eyes fluttered a smile lifting the edges of his mouth.

"Live...my..." and he went still before he could finish his statement. Wenz began to shake, sobs wracking her body as she hugged him to her chest. Not long after that did she black out, still holding his lifeless body in her arms tenderly.

...

The paladin wiped at her streaming eyes furiously, hitting her head several times for good measure ridding her mind of its onslaught of flashbacks, yet her mind was far long already made up.

After that incident, her father had found her with the blood elf, thinking that she had been the one to have killed him had praised her, for in the heat of battle, who really remembered who killed who? Yet Wenz, full of bitter hatred towards her father and his cruelty had pushed aside his praise, his desire for her to be his apprentice and had left their home to go seek other ways to become stronger in her own way.

She had made it to the dock, exhausted from having to travel stealthily as not to be captured by her father's men or the beasts of the woods, she had slipped onto the ship that went between Darkshore and AzureMyst Isle. From then, she journeyed to Stormwind by another boat and traveled to the dwarven city, Ironforge by train wanting to be as far as possible from her father's influence.

That is how she met Celtor.

A smile spread across her face remembering how they met and their early years together. The dwarves were a very accepting race and she immediately found a place to call home as she began training to become a paladin through ways her father would have scorned at but it put her a peace more so than her father ever did.

Wenz stretched lazily, casting an amused glance at the note from Slavion once more, her heart fluttering slightly as she thought of the elf. Really, he could have just killed her and made his life much easier, so why could he not? She shook those thoughts from her head, that line of thinking was preposterous. They were rivals nothing more. Although Wenz hated the cruelty and injustice her father had shown that small camp of blood elves, she knew how wicked and callous the blood elf people could be themselves.

In their own way, each of them, Horde or Alliance, were evil and good. It was all just a matter of perspective.

Her father's face floated before her eyes, she could not help herself, she bluntly flicked off the image, smirked widely and closed her eyes willing herself to a good night's rest but whispered softly at his scowling face.

"Dad, we will always be opposites. Remember that and despair, because two days from now you are going to want to roast me alive." Giggling contently, she curled onto her side, feeling strangely warm within as she thought once more upon the blood elf Slavion Bloodstrider.

In two days she would be able to rub everything in her father's face at last. No matter what, she would have no regrets.

Life was good.

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**So Wenz's dad may seem like a true blue jerk, but he is a pretty complicated guy all in all. He has an image to uphold and raising kids is just not a strong suit of his (no excuse!) I totally agree! This characterization fit well into Wenz's personality, I thought. As to why her mother died well I may elaborate on that later if any are interested in that particular development (by the way, what _is_ the Vindicator's name in the game? I completely forgot...I fail, I know.) **

**Again, thank you to all my reviewers and readers! The next chapter will be funnier, happier, and more dramatic, so no worries!**

**~Ever-Wandering**


	5. The Change

**Hello all! I would like to apologize for the delay, school has been quite merciless lately :( this is a somewhat, kinda, not really very exciting chapter but hey, it is the beginning of what I *hope* to be a humorous, dramatic and possibly romantic development :)**

**Miss Dressage: Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well! Yeah, I could definitely familiarize myself with the lore better, I know, it would give my story that little more of relevance but eh...I am just too lazy :P But it most definitely sounds interesting so I will have to look it up! And yes, she was born on Azeroth, hopefully that makes a little more sense...I should have been clearer there, I apologize! I do hope this develops into a real story, hehe, and thank you very much once more for reviewing! **

**shadowdemon6: Thank you :)! It made me sad to write it, but yes it definitely does show how "no nonsense, no mercy" her dad is...sigh. He might lighten up later on but I will see :) I am glad you like this story and I hope you continue to enjoy it! Oh Slavion, he is in a bit of denial...but that may change...hehe**

**Disclaimer: As always, I will never own WOW or will there ever be such a possibility for a story such as this one to come true (sniiiiifff) so enjoy and review if you so wish!**

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Slavion sighed for the tenth time, his eyes bleary as they stared off into the distance. At his side, Luka, his highborn elf companion stood stiffly, his blue eyes sharp. After several long minutes of silence, save for the traffic moving in and out of the portal room, the high elf spoke up quietly, "Will she come?"

Slavion could only sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose but not replying. He could have handled this situation fifty times better he knew and in a much _less_ stressful way but this entire ordeal had left him in just as much shock as it had to Strider. The dumbstruck look on her face had been quite humorous but it certainly mirrored his own when Lor'Themmar had summoned him to the throne room a dark expression on his face.

The regent king of Silvermoon was a blood relative, he had been told, but even he was not entirely sure how. So him being his uncle could be more or less true in some way. The mage remembered grimly the haunted order his fellow blood elf had gave him and the repercussions if he failed.

"_I know not the nature of your...relationship with one of the Alliance, this draenei female, but know this, Slavion Bloodfell, to dishonor your people will bring you death. Terminate this draenei paladin I have heard about throughout the throngs of your various battleground bands or it will be your life that will end. I cannot have any rumors of this nature in this palace."_

"...Slavion?" Luka was asking another question but the mage had been so in depth with his gloomy thoughts he had completely ignored him altogether.

"What did you say? I apologize, I was preoccupied." The blood elf said tiredly, shifting from side to side restlessly at the stern look the high elf gave him.

"Is that her?" The high elf pointed towards the entrance to a hooded figure, a familiar gait he instantly recognized and had to force himself not to smirk at the bold attitude it presented.

"Yes, I will go ahead, you remember what to do next," he paused, gripping Luka's arm tightly, the elf's brow rose inquiringly, "thank you for this, I owe you too much." And without another word he vanished into the portal for Silvermoon Luka to shake his head a small smile on his face.

"It is the other way around Bloodfell you stubborn git." Soft muttered curses brought his attention to the hooded figure standing in the middle of the room, her arms across her chest defiantly and a pout adorned her face, Luka could not help himself, he chuckled at the sight before moving over to her.

...

"Him and his _stupid _ambiguous letters! It drives me nuts! Okay so here I am but where is he? Like I would know because yet again he is not clear on the time, where is his sorry..." Wenz fumed, feeling the twitch in her eye once more especially when a tauren death knight moved past her eyeing her warily which in mature response, she stuck her tongue out at his back before blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes and tapping her hoof impatiently on the ground.

"Ms. Strider? I presume?" a soft voice brought her from her tirade and she faced its owner about to release all hell when she saw it was only the high elf who had so chivalrously escorted her from the snowy forest of doom days before. Wenz smiled thinly, holding out a hand to the elf who was regarding her with an amused expression before shaking her hand gently.

_Elves..._

"That would be me, and you are...?" She stuck out a hand which he grabbed, smiling warmly at the paladin.

"Luka Galenth, come with me Ms. Strider, he has already gone ahead." He turned from the portals bordering the room to approach the stairs and turn to make sure she was in fact following praying she left her questions and curiosities for a place where they would be more or less in the public eye.

Wenz nodded, adjusting the hood securely over her face, knowing that her father might be lurking close by with one of his damn lakeys taking note of her every move, before quickly following the elf up to the third level of the tower. The turned down an ornate hallway and into a room that was at the far end. It was a simple, storage like space that was littered with various boxes and crates, Wenz slipped off her cloak as the elf locked the door and slipped the key into the folds of his robe.

"Before we begin, Ms.-"

"Wenz."

"Um...?"

"Call me Wenz, I _hate _being called 'Ms. Strider' makes me feel bloody old." The draenei grumbled narrowing her eyes at Luka threateningly to which he only laughed softly, covering his mouth with a hand his eyes dancing with mirth.

"Wenz then, this is a very delicate ordeal to us both. On that note, I want you to tell me why exactly you are doing this." The humor was gone just as quick as it had come and Wenz suppressed a shiver at the dark look on the elf's face.

She consciously rubbed the back of her head, refusing to acknowledge the flush spreading across her face, and replied, "I would say it is to go against every possible thing of my father's, but it is something more, nothing sinister I promise. Slavion has never brought any harm to me, and this proves that he truly is honorable, even if I do not understand his intentions." The paladin fidgeted at the silence that followed, not noticing the small smile now present on Luka's relieved face.

"Excellent, now lets begin. First off, I am going to warn you that I am going to be performing magic on you, secondly I want to impress upon you that in no way are the effects of this spell eternal, and finally I want to tell you of this entire ordeal's purpose," he paused, making sure she comprehended everything so far which she nodded slightly, her eyes wide, "for two weeks you are going to be living the life of a blood elf suitor for Lord Bloodfell, his fiance if you will. During this time period, you will be living in Silvermoon and will be constantly in the eyes of the blood elf people. Their culture is a classy and elegant one, attire, speech and social life is essential to be a noble. Carefully, he, myself and his cousin whom you have met once, Markos, created an identity for yourself as a refugee whom lost her parents during the onslaught of the Scourge," he paused once more, noting the serious expression on her face and gave a quick sigh of relief, thank the maker she was intelligent, "in this period of two weeks, you will be under great pressure to execute the status of a noble whom _is not _on the front lines of war. You will be in the presence of their regent king and will have to impress him that you are the only one whom Lord Bloodfell has ever felt any sort of affection for. The stakes are high and there is always risk, but tell me, Wenz, are you truly prepared?"

Wenz gaped at the elf, her eyes as wide as plates before whistling, "Wow, okay, so when do we start?"

Luka smiled gently, rolling up his sleeves and checking his mana reserves, "Right now, if you are ready."

The draenei laughed, her expression still bewildered by the entire situation, but held out her arms and grinned, "Hit me with your best shot, as long as it is not an ice spell, I am good."

The elf shook his head, the smile growing wider, "It is an intricate but not extremely complicated polymorph spell that is meant to last for a duration of fourteen full days."

"I _always _hated that one too." Wenz grumbled, remembering darkly her encounters with other sadistic mages who laughed wickedly as they turned her into a stupid little sheep darting this way and that way...

"I will give you more details as soon as I am done. This spell will take me roughly five hours, so get comfortable, and hold as still as possible."

Wenz nodded numbly, sitting down on her cloak which she laid out on the floor, leaning against the many crates and crossing her legs at her ankles letting her eyes slip close muttering softly

"Excellent, I need to catch up on my sleep anyway." and she drifted off to sleep, while Luka began to mutter his incantation and focus firmly on the image he wanted Wenz to become.

"Just pray to the maker that this all goes smoothly, Wenz Strider." Luka mumurred softly, as his hands glowed white and expanded over the slumbering girl.

...

Markos watched Slavion's pace back and forth across the circular room of his living room, his expression worried.

"She will come."

Slavion nodded stiffly, his brow furrowed deep in thought. Markos sighed, a corner of his mouth lifting in a teasing smile.

"So you truly fell for her huh?"

The mage shot up as if electrified, staring at the paladin hauntingly before rubbing the bridge of his nose,

"I would not call it 'falling' just yet. More like increased interest..."

"Oh shove it, it is not so uncommon, just you being so close to the king, well of course he would be a bit more uptight."

"And pray tell, where is it common?" The mage glared at Markos who lifted his hands in a shrug his eyes mirthful.

"Shattrah, obviously."

"Would it have been better if I had just..." the blood elf found himself unable to say the next words of his statement, he frowned, resting his hands on his hips.

"Of course not, fool. You would have been miserable for the rest of your sad little existence!"

Slavion glared daggers at his cousin who was now laughing like a complete idiot.

_And you are supposed to be a level eighty..._

Markos cackled, a devious smirk twisting across his face, "So, Slavion, just how are you going to convince us all that our dear little spit fire is your beloved hm?" And to his continued wicked amusement, the mage flushed maroon, looking away from the paladin scowling.

"You know that now the king has heard that you have in fact been engaged for well over five months, he is going to throw a big stupid ball and expect you to dance the night away as if..."

"Markos, would it hurt you to shut up for two minutes?" Slavion hissed as the paladin continued to laugh, toying with the ends of his blonde hair carelessly.

"I am higher level than you, therefore I have just that little more of authority so _no_, I will not shut up, by the way, how good is this high elf friend of your's magic? An invention of his? What would you do if..." and Markos' eyes grew wide as he felt ice stretch across his mouth, before looking over at Slavion who was smirking arrogantly.

"Works on every paladin it seems. I trust Luka with my life. He is highly gifted and rightly recognized for his magical power in Dalaran so that in itself is means that nothing will go wrong."

_Plus he saved my life with it..._

Slavion saw Markos' eyes grow, if possible, even wider, the ice cracking as his jaw dropped in apparent shock. The mage rolled his eyes, turning around to find himself mirroring the paladin's expression instantly.

Luka beamed proudly, gesturing to the slumbering form of someone who was _definitely _not his spit fire paladin, wait _his_?

Oh the maker...

"Is that...?" Markos spoke up first, his voice awed.

"It was a success, yes." The high elf replied, gesturing to the slender form of a female blood elf in his arms with long, luscious black hair, a small but full mouth, high cheek bones, a narrow nose and long pointed ears.

Slavion wanted to make absolute sure, not doubting Luka at all, but bent over the body in the high elf's arms and whispered something only Wenz would know.

"So the oh so scary hot head has finally found her la la land then huh?" He whispered it in her ear and was instantly met with a blazing dark emerald eyes and a scowl that reminded him immediately of the draenei's.

"So I see the pretty boy has successfully found his way back to Silvermoon unfortunately not with a hoof print imbedded his ass like I had first promised that can of course be changed."

Oh yeah, no doubt about it, that was _definitely _Wenz Strider.

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**And there you have it! What on earth is going to happen next? **

**Thank you once again to all my reviewers! You inspire me greatly :)**

**_~Ever-Wandering_**


	6. Becoming One of Them

**Hello all :)! This update is a bit later, I apologize to my readers and watchers, I will be better to make my deadline of Friday from now on (as best as I can). I also would like to thank Dawnchaser, shadowdemon6 and Liesie for reviewing and for anyone who has favorited or read this story up to this point, I really appreciate it!**

**Dawnchaser: And it will only get more exciting *hopefully* :) thank you for your review! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**shadowdemon6: I was a bit sad for that as well, Slavion truly deserves a hoof print for all the stress he is making Wenz endure, lol. I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you very much for your compliments, I am very happy and I hope you continue to enjoy this story :)**

**Liesie: I am sure you are right there. I do not know much about roleplaying though, this was just an idea that spurred from absolute randomness. Mages annoy me, usually because they are always ten times better than myself, which I am sure says something about my character haha, but oh well. My friend plays a mage, so it makes it even better...truly. Thank you for your review!**

**This is a somewhat exciting chapter I believe (the next one will be even more so, hehe), some tension (not much) a bit of humor and dare I say it...a beginning to a possible romance? Who knows...read on and review so if you wish to find out! **

**Disclaimer: As always, World of Warcraft is not mine. This story is mine, however as are its characters. Nothing like this could happen for real in WOW but then again, this is why it is called fanfiction. Enjoy!**

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Wenz stared at the bright green eyes looking sharply back at her in the mirror, Slavion's hands were on her shoulders steadying her as she did so, his expression muddled.

It was just so _weird_.

From birth she had been used to walking around her tail swishing back and forth, giving her balance and cat-like grace. Without it, she felt absolutely vulnerable, slow. From the light blue of her skin it had now turned into a pink creamy color, her horns had vanished completely into the thick curly black hair that fell lusciously over her shoulders. Dare she say it, she looked absolutely gorgeous.

The paladin was taller now than she was before, her legs long yet toned, her arms were long as well, and her torso, she was pleased to note, felt just as trim as it had when she was a draenei. Her eyes were that poison green she had come to admire so greatly, gone was the jewel purple, and she was completely, one hundred percent blood elf.

Well, on the outside anyway.

The one thing she was having a hard time getting used to, well two things actually were her pointed _long_ ears and her lighter yet mystical voice. Before she had a deep tone, with that canny lilt unique to her people, now it had been morphed into something more enchanting and even more lulling. Behind her, Slavion cleared his throat, his fingers twitching on her shoulders.

"Well?" he asked, not looking directly at her. He was just too flabbergasted.

"_Damn _he did a good job." Wenz smiled slightly, mystified by the expression on her face, slightly plump not overly so lips lifted slightly and her eyes _twinkled_. She was never going to get used to this, thank the Naaru it was temporary.

The mage grunted in acknowledgement, wishing the high elf would have better prepared him for this let alone stayed a little longer to explain fully her transformation.

Something foreign stirred within him and he felt a twinge of sadness. She looked stunning as one of his people, but he found himself missing...well, best not dwell on such things.

"This fits well into a description for her," Markos spoke up after a moment, his expression neutral, "we can say she was crippled in her flight from her village and never truly recovered. There is no way we can teach her to adequately walk in one day, the King wants to meet her tomorrow."

Slavion sighed, "I guess that can work, but we have to at least properly prepare her for the King," his eyes narrowed at the transformed girl, "you _cannot _be rude."

Wenz snorted, crossing her arms under her chest, "I will just keep quiet then. I cannot fake being pleasant to the man who was partly, if not wholly responsible for the torment of my people for so long."

"You are a blood elf now, if you do not leave behind thoughts of _your_ people," Markos replied before Slavion could coolly, "then you will die. We all will die."

Wenz felt the childish urge to stick her tongue out at the level eighty but Slavion's grip pressed harder into her shoulder in warning she felt her eye twitch, "_Fine_, I will _try _to be civil. However, there is no way you will change who I am. I will not be a passive, wishy- washy, brain washed, weak fool, so do not even dare to say I have to."

"Enough, both of you. We are wasting time. No one is going to make you change your personality, Wenz, you just need to get a taste of our customs, of how _our _females are. At least the females who are not fighting any how. That is your profile, you are a runaway noble whom I encountered in Shattrah city three months ago and have been trying to find a way to get to Silvermoon. You traveled with many groups to reach Shattrah from the highlands, since your family desired to live farther away from our home city. Improvisation may be necessary but I hope that we can stick as true as possible to this story." Slavion put his arm around her waist and led her to a chair not far away, Wenz flushed instantly at the contact yet remained quiet. She was more frustrated with how pathetically she walked than anything let alone the support the blood elf was giving her.

"Your name needs a change as well, Wenz is definitely not a name for a blood elf noble." Markos stated matter-of-factly, a smirk playing along his lips at the insulted look on the girl's face.

Slavion knew the paladin was right, sitting beside the fuming girl sighing tiredly, "Do you have any ideas, Markos?"

"I am not good with things like this, you _are_ her fiance." The paladin grinned broadly at the identical blushes that adorned their faces. "You both are just too cute."

"Go away, Markos." Slavion said after a beat, glaring daggers that would normally scare the living daylights out of a person- not Markos, of course.

"But this is just too much fun, besides, I took two weeks off from the line due to a injury in Icrecrown," his expression turned sullen as he scowled at his torso which was lined in thick bandages, supporting four broken ribs but hidden by his thick, black plate chest piece, "I am here to help however I can."

"Please, cousin, I need," the mage paused, his brow furrowed, but the blush grew darker, "_we _need to be around one another as if we have been for three months. Like a couple."

Wenz covered her face with a hand, wishing her heart would stop pounding so painfully in her chest. She knew he was right, as they were now, no one would believe they were engaged for...marriage.

"How about Wynona?" Wenz spoke up quietly, chewing on her lip slightly at the bemused expression Slavion was giving her but sighed in relief as a small smile grew across his face.

"Fine, fine, I get it," Markos said slyly, smirking wickedly at the pair, "you have to get use to one another. If you need my help I will be in my quarters across the street. Do not do anything I would not do!" He stood up slowly, not allowing a grimace to show on his face as he did so before tipping his head to both of them and exiting Slavion's home.

Silence followed his departure and Wenz fidgeted slightly.

"Wynona is a beautiful name," Slavion said after a pause, his eyes boring into hers, "how did you come up with it?"

The paladin shrugged, looking away from him as her blush darkened. Slavion grinned.

"Former aspirations of wanting to be one of us, my guess?"

The girl remained silent, damning the male beside her to the pits of hell.

"I am only teasing, darling. Come, I need to get you used to being in my presence and I assure you," the mage's eyes darkened as he held out a hand to her, his trademark smirk in place, "you will not be disappointed."

From the intense fluttering of her heart and the heat ever present on her face, Wenz had little doubt of this at all.

...

As casually as any couple would, Slavion looped his arm about her waist comfortably and led her to a bench in the middle of a beautiful, ornate court yard. Wenz played into the act by leaning closer to him for support, her head resting on his shoulder lightly. They were fairly lucky, the street was not heavy with foot traffic, so inquiries from a passerby was less likely to happen, much to the mage's relief and Wenz's as well.

"The guards are watching us as well," Slavion muttered pressing his mouth into hair in an act of affection to which Wenz rather Wynona responded appropriately with by putting an arm around him as well, "but you are doing just fine so far. I am surprised but pleased, this may go a bit smoother than I had anticipated."

Wenz laughed softly as he helped her sit down and pressed her lightly to his side, "Do not get to excited yet, this is my first time doing something like this."

"It is mine as well. I was not as fortunate as say Markos in my relations with others, let alone love interests." Slavion replied lightly, his arm gripping her suddenly tighter as a heavily armored blood elf spotted the pair, a wide grin on his pale face as he began to make his over to them via horseback.

"Who is that?" Wenz whispered, a shudder running down her spine at the look on the man's face.

"Champion Velen, also known as a true pain in _my_ ass. Trust me, he is no companion of mine." Slavion tried to conceal his scowl but failed utterly, Wenz giggled softly willing herself to slip into character as the blood elf made his way over to them.

"So the rumors _are_ true! Slav it is so good to see you in one piece. I heard you have been having a rough time lately!" His eyes locked onto Wenz's, a smirk growing across his face.

_Was that smirk just a blood elf tradition or what?_

Wenz forced a small smile at the man but remained silent, to which Slavion greatly appreciated, "Velen, it is good to see you as well."

"So is this your fiance...?" He gestured with a scarlet plate covered hand to Wenz, to which she took his hand gingerly wincing unnoticeably as he pressed his lips to the top of her hand, his eyes dark.

"Wynona, yes, this is my fiance." Slavion narrowed his eyes at the display before pulling the girl back to his side, refusing to acknowledgement the flame of jealousy that flickered in his chest as he did so.

"Wynona? That is an unfamiliar name to me and I have acquainted myself with most of our lady nobles. From what family do you come from my dear?" The Champion's eyes bore into her own and Wenz squeezed Slavion's side gently, reassuringly before replying softly.

"Dear Champion, if I knew I would tell you, but alas my memory does not go as far back to remember the name of my parents who now rest in peace in the highlands. I only go by Wynona, for it was a name given to me by a couple who took me in when I was but a young girl in Shattrah." Her eyes grew misty but she held eye contact with the elf.

Velen fell for the lie, his face grew somber as he took up her hand once more, "I sincerely apologize for forcing you to account for something so tragic. I am glad you have found your way home. I wish you both the greatest of happiness together." He tipped his head to them before clicking at his horse and trotting away.

Slavion sighed in relief, his head falling back on the wood bench so his red hair fell behind him like a curtain, "That fellow is so foul. But you did well."

Wenz shook her head slightly, smiling at the elf, "Have a bit more faith, dearest."

Slavion laughed softly, bringing her closer to his side before whispering in her ear, "Forgive me, but I must ask, do you know how to dance?"

Chills rushed down her spine and her voice came out an octave softer, "Why?" she whispered back, the chills endless as his warm breath fanned over the side of her neck and face.

Slavion grinned broadly before pressing his lips to her cheek slightly, "Because my darling _fiance_, tomorrow is a big day for us both. The King wants to meet you and he is throwing a ball in your honor."

Wenz's heart was pounding so loudly she almost could not hear what he just said, but she sadly remembered that it all was just an act, but held character enough to giggle softly, "But good sir, my leg..."

"Will not be a problem," he rose gracefully, his black robes swishing about him as he did so, turning to her with an outstretched hand, a teasing smile on his face, "so my _lady_," he paused once more for dramatic effect, loving the abashed look on her face, "may I have the honor of this dance?"

Nodding numbly, she took his hand letting him help her up, in vain remembering this was all just an act to save both of their lives...but she knew that that itself was getting harder and harder by the minute to stand by alone.

She was truly doomed.

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**So what will happen next? The King plus a ball...that should be interesting. Thank you all again for reading and reviewing!**

**~_Ever-Wandering_**


	7. When All Hell Ensues

**Hello all!**

**I must ask first off for no one to hurt me or wish harm upon me- things are going to get pretty dramatic from here onward. With that said, I would like to thank my sole reviewer shadowdemon6 and any and all who have favorited this story or are reading it period :) thank you.**

**shadowdemon6: As always, thank you for you reviewing! Slavion was a bit jealous, hehe, but that will change! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**I will not reveal anything else, enjoy and review if you so wish!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Obviously.**

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_"Can I ask you a question, Slavion?"_

_"Hm?"_

_"Why could you not just kill me?"_

...

Wenz looked down at her hands, her brow furrowed in thought as she did so. She had asked the elf earlier as they were leaving the bench to stroll through Silvermoon (per her request) when the questioned just popped out of her mouth.

He had remained quiet, his arm around her shoulder tightening before dropping altogether. "Come, it is getting late, we should return back to my residence." Before wrapping his hand around her own and jerking her back the direction from which they came.

Wenz was miffed if not even just a little bit irritated by the entire ordeal. Sure, she had agreed to this whole thing partly in spite of her irksome oaf of a father, but on another part, she had done so out of blatant curiosity.

Why would a blood elf, the sworn enemy to the draenei race, not want to kill said enemy?

Regardless of the situation, they were blood enemies.

Yet were _they_?

From the start, on that fateful day in Warsong Gulch, they had acted so very much _not _ like an Alliance paladin and a Horde mage. Wenz knew why she had not acted diligently to her faction in seeing the blood elf's defeat, she was so rebellious to those who tried to control how she fought she would take that as far as not killing an enemy- because _he_ was not an enemy at all. Not to her.

She flexed her hands slowly, marveling in the clear creamy complexion of her arms as she ran a hand around her chin- no tentacles either. That was another oddity she was not getting used to quite yet either. Granted her walking had improved some, thanks to her stubbornness to get it right as she was pulled into dancing like some puppet where Slavion was the puppeteer.

The paladin grimaced at that thought, a bitter taste forming in her mouth. She had been so sure when she had agreed to this idea of his, but now she was feeling a little put out. His intentions had yet to be revealed to her and this irritated her.

Markos had not been lying- if this failed, they would all die. She would be tortured most likely, and her death would be much more prolonged than Slavion's. A shudder of fear shook through her at this thought and her heart gave a wary pang. The blood elf transfigured woman shook her head roughly, clenching her fists while narrowing her eyes. "I will not fail," she swore, rising to her feet and crossing the small bedroom Slavion had led her into. There was a door between their quarters, in case any problems should arise, as the mage had stated as crisply as possible before locking said door leaving her alone to her own devices and rising frustrations.

Without a breadth's hesitation, she pounded on the door, "Slavion Bloodfell! Open this door we need to talk!" her balance had improved but it was not natural enough to brace her for the rush of vertigo making her knees buckle roughly as she fell hard against the door with a whoosh of air.

"Wenz?"

Okay, so it was not the door she had fallen onto. Of course.

Slavion looked down at the girl in his arms, concern in his eyes, "What is wrong?"

She looked flustered, her cheeks and neck dusted with red in humiliation, but her eyes were dark and refused to meet his own.

"Wenz?" he pulled her to her feet, resting his hands on her shoulders his eyes boring into her own. To which she looked away, furious with her own silence yet not knowing how to start with her multitude of frustrations with the elf.

As the silence began to grown tense, Slavion sensing that there was something emotionally unsettling within the transformed girl, he waited patiently (hell hath no fury).

"How long are you going to keep me in the dark, Bloodfell?" she whispered softly, her fists clenching at her sides and her brow furrowed as she looked into his eyes. He took a wary step back, a chill ran down his spine at the fire in her eyes swallowing slightly.

"What do you-"

"Do not act dumb, mage," Wenz hissed, her hands now grabbing his forearms tightly, "you never answered my question from earlier and I am not a patient being as you well know. I do not like being led in the dark."

Slavion let a cool mask of indifference slide over his features as his hands dropped from her shoulders, "Led in the dark? I thought that this entire situation was _very _clear to you. Either you perform as one of us or reap the consequences." He began to pull away, wanting to leave it at that but hissed in pain as her nails dug in deep into his arm.

"What in the-" he was cut off as she shoved him against the wall, her fury finally revealing itself.

"Reap the consequences? Are you serious? This is your doing! All of this was _your _idea!" they were nose to nose, had they not been throwing spats at one another, they might have noticed _just_ how close they were.

"And you could have easily refused." Slavion shot back, glaring at her as she tried to pin the blame on him.

"Oh yes and be killed by your cousin, that is just how I want to go!" Wenz sneered pulling away from him resting her hands on her hips glowering at the male nastily.

"Maybe I should have just let him do the honors then, save us all heaps of trouble." The mage replied coldly, giving her an equally dark look he noticed a spark of hurt in her eyes but it was quickly covered as her eyes grew impossibly darker.

"Then why! Why go through this? Why make me 'be one of the people' and put on an act that will most likely be seen right through and risk getting killed?" She stopped suddenly as Slavion's eyes grew wide, his face paling.

"What the hell is your problem _now_?" Wenz spat, flicking her tail in irritation for good measure. Wait, _tail_? Horrified, she jerked around seeing that indeed, her tail had returned. Not just her tail, the familiar tickling sensation of her tentacles had returned and rested at her throat. With a soft whimper, she ran a hand along her curved horns and stomped a hoofed foot feeling very light headed all of a sudden.

"This was not supposed to happen!" Slavion fell to his knees, although inside he felt warmer than usual. Wenz was Wenz only as a draenei. He had missed that about her completely. A pang of sadness and fear intermingled as he slowly found his feet and moved over to the shell shocked girl and pulled her into his arms.

Wenz was too out of it to even care as Slavion's arms wrapped around her and pulled her into his broad, robe covered chest.

"I do not put Luka at fault here, my guess is that your emotional rise somehow leveled the enormity of your transformation therefore rejecting and dismissing it. You have done such a thing before, with my ice cage spell." He explained quickly, finding his arms tightening around the girl suddenly.

Wenz nodded numbly, her arms limp and her expression void, "I am going to die, huh? I screwed it all up. I screwed everything up." Maybe her father had been right all along about her.

"Silence, this is not your fault. You just have a natural resistance to spells," her turned her in his arms so she faced him, he ran a hand under chin so their eyes met, "Wenz Strider, we will figure this out. We will, no one is going to die." Her eyes were so dark, the jewel colors dull and lifeless, her lips quivered slightly.

"My father, you know, is a true ass," she whispered hollowly, "ever since I was young, he always called me weak, called me a failure. I guess he was right huh?"

Exasperated beyond caring about the consequences, the blood elf did the first thing that came to mind just so her eyes would stop looking so dead- he thumped her on the back of the head sharply, adding some ice for flare. A smirk stretched across his face as she snapped out of with a look of vengeful indignation opening her mouth to protest said vengeance to the world but he cut her off, grabbing her chin as his other arm curled about her waist.

"Now that I have your attention," he lowered his face to hers, his lips inches from her own, "you want to know the reason why I planned this entire ordeal? Went through the trouble at all?"

Wenz had grown numb once more but from something entirely different this time, her heart was beating so rapidly in her chest as a foreign warmth filled her entire being as he pulled her closer to against him. His warm breath teased with mint fragrance exhaled across her own parted lips.

"It would be nice." The girl replied distantly, her voice not in synch with her thoughts at all. _Dear Naruu, what is he doing?_

Suddenly she felt a blast behind her, recognizing it to be nothing other than a simple portal, a portal for Dalaran at that. Her attention drawn to the portal behind her she made to protest his actions when his lips slid along hers and her drew her in so passionately, she nearly lost her footing at the onslaught of sensations rushing through her body.

It was a very gentle kiss, yet it was also so much more. The blood elf toyed with her bottom lip slightly between his teeth, grinning impishly at the soft sigh that left her as he did so. Feeling emboldened, he swept his tongue across the seam of her lips to which she shyly parted letting him delve in deeper as his arms pulled her flush against his fit form. Then as quickly as it had begun it ended with him pushing her into the portal, gently, a sad smile on his face as he did so.

Wenz was jerked back to reality as he faded farther from her, his warmth and passion instantly gone as she was transported far from Silvermoon City. "SLAVION!" she screamed, reaching her arms out to him, to no avail as she was suddenly in the same portal room she had departed from not only a day ago. Tears filled her eyes as she fell to her knees in a mixture of despair and frustration not caring at the many curious stares she was receiving.

She had been so blind.

...

Slavion watched solemnly as the magic of the summoned portal simmered and dissappeared, his heart pounding rapidly. She had tasted absolutely divine, everything he had imagined and more; a fiery soothing purity that went beyond any other sensation he had ever encountered before. He could die a happy elf now.

"My apologies, darling, such a thing is not meant to be. I should never have put you through such stress." he whispered to nothing, his resolve firmer than it had been once before as he turned on his heel, leaving his home and headed to the palace.

Such a thing was not meant to be.

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**Hehe, again do not hurt me. Have faith! I know I said there was to be a ball and the appearance of the King...but not just yet. I hope this is not moving too quickly, and I hope you all will see this to its end! Once again, thank you to shadowdemon 6, my readers and so on. I will try to get a new chapter up as soon as I can, maybe by Wednesday, most likely anyway. **

**I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!**

**~_Ever-Wandering_**


	8. Get With the Program!

**Hello all! As promised, here is the next chapter! I would like to thank my reviewers Dawnchaser and shadowdemon6 you both are just so awesome. Thank you to all my readers! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**shadowdemon6: I hope you enjoy this chapter, Wenz just is not having a very good day...Slavion deserves to be imprinted with a hoof after this as I am sure you might agree! Thank you very much for your support! Enjoy!**

**Dawnchaser: The transition was quick, I myself had not really expected it either! I am just weirdly spontaneous like that I suppose. This chapter is just as intense, in a way, and I hope you like it! The whole "her becoming a blood elf" scheme would not have worked out too great anyhow plus I wanted to make this a bit more dramatic...in a good way, I hope. One again, thank you for your review! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own.**

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Markos' eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed sharply as Slavion marched straight by his doorstep, a determined look on his face. What bothered the paladin was not that the mage had _outright_ and blatantly ignored him but the look on his face.

He looked like a man who was moments away from welcoming death onto himself.

That was a look meant for the battlegrounds and the war, not for walking down the richened streets of Silvermoon City. Grunting slightly, the blonde- haired blood elf rose from his perch at his window, clutching his ribs as he did so and made for his front door.

Whatever foolish thing Slavion was about to do he had to stop.

...

_"Wenz..."_

_There was a numbness so stifling and thick, the draenei could hardly breath. Her eyes were filled with nothing but darkness and her heart faintly beat in her chest sadly. She was hardly aware of strong arms encircling her and lifting her up bridal style. Nothing mattered anymore. She felt so __dead_.

_"...Wenz..."_

_Seeing nothing, hearing only the loud roaring buzz painfully jarring her ears, the paladin remained unresponsive. Never before had she felt like such a failure. Slavion..._

_That elven stupid bastard!_

How _dare_ he...

"WENZ!" Celtor's face hovered worriedly over hers, his royal blue eyes darting across her form, searching for wounds, searching for _anything_. She looked like one of the undead. The dwarf had been calling her name consecutively for over five minutes and she had yet to respond to a single thing he said. Sighing heavily, he knew there was only one thing left for him to do and he grimaced. She would hate him for a while for this, that's for sure.

In the center of the portal room, sitting cross legged, the dwarf bent over so his shaggy white beard tickled across her face and whispered softly, "Wenz Strider, daughter of the Vindicator Altros, are you weak?"

The effect was not immediate but it had its impact. The draenei female groaned lowly, her brow wrinkling and her lips moved soundlessly.

He cast a look about him, noticing the spectators and sighed again, it was only a matter of time before this situation got crazier than it already was.

The dwarf had just returned to Dalaran's inn and was headed to Ironforge via the portals and had seen the most curious thing- which stopped being curious when he noticed Wenz involved. Out of nowhere, a portal had opened in the void of the room where the paladin had been deposited not before letting out an unearthly scream that took many years off his life and fell unconscious.

Before anyone else could get to her, he was running, pulling her into his arms and cradling her gently. He was certain the circumstances were unique yet he hardly cared. Wenz was and had always been like a sister to him. If anything happened to her...

"Relax, friend, she is unconscious most likely from the after effects of a very powerful incantation." a soft yet strained voice pulled him from his reverie and he jerked his around to see a high elf standing a little ways behind him, his expression dark.

Celtor was hardly reassured. "And you know of this how?" he demanded, his heart sinking slightly as Wenz grew still in his arms.

The high elf frowned, not at Celtor, but down at the draenei before kneeling down beside the dwarf, "Follow me, we are not safe here" he whispered softly rising smoothly to his full height before ascending up the wide stair case close by. Celtor felt no imminent threat from the elf but remained cautious just to be safe before standing up, gripping Wenz tightly against him before following after the elf.

Meanwhile, from the shadows of the small room a pair of glowing eyes watched the scene with a sneer on his face before he too, after the duo vanished from view, followed after them.

...

"What is your name, elf?" Celtor asked immediately once the elf had locked the door of the storage room and tucked the keys into his robes.

The high elf bowed slightly, motioning for the dwarf to sit as he introduced himself, "My name is Luka, and I know your companion, Wenz Strider. What is your name?"

"Celtor Ironheart, how do you know Wenz?" The paladin's eyes narrowed as the elf smiled slightly.

"That is an intricate explanation. Are you willing to put aside judgements and narrow- minded faction perspectives to hear the entire story?" Luka asked, resting his gaze on Wenz's pained face as she convulsed slightly in Celtor's grip.

"I want to know everything but first, help her." The dwarf whispered, his expression pained. "Help her and I will listen to all that you have to say."

The high elf nodded, moving closer to the girl while pulling out a vial from the pocket of his robes. Noticing the sharp look the dwarf was now giving him, Luka put a hand on his shoulder, "This will help. It will ease the shock and lessen the strain that her body has been placed under. I mean her no harm." he reassured, before pouring the clear liquid down the draenei's throat and sat back down, crossing his arms across his chest.

Indeed the vial was working its charm, Wenz relaxed almost immediately and her breathing grew steady once more. Celtor sighed in relief, nodding to the elf who shook his head his expression growing dark once more.

"The fault of her situation is mine and I will explain this now," he paused, gauging the cool contemplative look he was being given by Celtor before clearing his throat, "as I mentioned before, to truly understand and grasp this tale, you _must_ put all judgements, factions and even race aside. For this is a story of something that historically and culturally should never be, yet it defiled and rebelled that strongly," Luka paused again, appreciating the attentiveness of the dwarf who nodded curtly so the elf continued, "your companion, Wenz Strider, has done the absolute impossible."

"She made a blood elf fall in love with a draenei." The high elf exclaimed softly, the sadness of his expression stifling. Celtor's brows rose at this comment before he inquired curiously.

"It is that one blood elf, that character who sent her a letter about the Eye of the Storm. He fell in love with Wenz?"

Luka chuckled at the baffled expression on the dwarf's face, "Head over heels. When he first came to me about three months ago after a night of Warsong Gulch, he mentioned a draenei paladin whom was and I quote 'Not like others of her kind, she is special', I knew that he had already began to dig himself into a rut."

Celtor nodded slowly still shocked, "So he loves her. Does she love him?"

"You know that answer to that." The high elf replied sadly, his eyes darkening as they examined Wenz's still form.

To the elf's surprise, Celtor laughed richly, wiping a tear from his eye, "I knew it, she always got so flustered whenever I brought up their adventures and never looked me in the eye when I asked about their battles. So what does that have to do with her current state?"

The high elf sighed bitterly, rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly, "The regent king of Silvermoon discovered Slavion's battles with Wenz and his never actually killing her and ordered him to kill Wenz lest he wished to face death himself. Obviously that is not what he wanted so he and I devised a plan that would get them both home free," he sighed again, longer this time, "yet apparently, this is not the case."

A sharp banging snapped them both into attention as the once locked door was kicked in by a hoofed plate foot followed by the very last person Celtor wanted to see at such a moment.

Vindicator Altros stood in the doorway, his eyes blazing with fury.

"You are very right, high elf traitor, this is no longer the case at all anymore," before either could defend themselves, the Vindicator released a spell of consecration, sending them both flying across the room to slam against the adjacent walls. Without another word, he scooped up the unconscious form of Wenz, whom Celtor had dropped as he had been blasted away, slung her under his arm and scowled darkly at the pair before him.

"I will see to it that neither of you ever see the light of day again," he paused, scowling at Celtor who was glowering openly at him, "as for this one," Altros jerked Wenz roughly, "I will see to her execution for betraying her people and her faction. If you two try to resist this, you will be next." Without another word, the Vindicator swept from the room leaving Celtor groaning in pain, Luka was out cold by his side as Altros' guards stepped into the room and latched restraints about their wrists and pulled them to their feet.

What else could possibly go wrong?

...

Slavion felt his heart begin to race as he stood before the slanted pathway leading up to the tower of the regent king. His fists clenched by his sides as he took a step forward but froze as he heard someone shout at him.

"Where is your hot little fiance eh?"

The _very _last elf Slavion wanted to run into again- in one day. Velen smirked at the furious flush that covered the mage's ears as said elf spun around, eyes blazing.

"Like I would disclose such information to a cretin like you." He growled as the Champion strolled over to him, his expression wicked.

"So where _exactly _did you find this Wynona? Shattrah huh?" Slavion fought the urge to jerk away as the elf wrapped arm around his shoulders.

"I do not answer to the likes of you." The mage hissed, trying to pull away when the grip grew painfully tight, the bones in his shoulders popped and Slavion bit his lip to keep from crying out.

"Or is there just something that you are not telling any of us, Bloodfell?" Velen whispered this last statement, bringing up his sword and tracing it across Slavion's chest tauntingly moving the point to the blood elf's throat.

Slavion was about to, despite being _right _in front of the palace, release all unholy ice hell upon this prick of a bastard.

"Ladies, ladies! Our quarrel is with the Alliance not with one another!" Slavion cursed the exhaled sigh of relief that passed his lips as Velen's arm immediately dropped and the sword was quickly put away.

"Markos, I had not expected you to be up and about anytime soon, sir." The Champion greeted the approaching paladin who was panting slightly as he jogged over to them, his hand still supporting his ribs as he did so.

"As you can see, I am just fine. Go back to your patrol and remember," Markos' eyes narrowed dangerously and Velen shivered, "you are a _Champion_, act like it." The threat hanging off the end of the statement was not missed and Velen quickly nodded in consent before scurrying away.

"As for you, mage, come with me." Markos grabbed Slavion by the arm and dragged him away from the sloping path to Murder Row, the mage protesting vehemently the entire time.

"Markos, really, what is this all about?" The mage hissed, ripping his arm away from the paladin's grip, glaring daggers at the elf.

"You, sir, this is all about you. Whatever you were about to, whatever stupid thing you have managed to do now, going to the regent king with a look of a martyr will get you flayed." Markos pushed he protesting mage into a plush chair and seated himself across from him, resting his arms on the table.

Slavion was _pissed_. "Do not interfere." he snapped, his arms crossing his body defectively.

Markos ran a hand through his long hair and leaned back,

"This is about Wynona, is it not? Where is she?"

The paladin noticed the somber look on the mage's face and questioned the elf again, "Slavion, where is she?"

"Dalaran, I sent her back." Slavion answered softly, looking away from the paladin.

"Are you really that stupid? You just teleported her back to Dalaran out of nowhere! She is going to be the cause of much suspicion and you single handedly delivered her to danger!" Markos blanched, shaking his head as Slavion's eyes grew wide in horror.

"By the sun," he murmurred, resting his face in the palm of his head trying to control his erratic breathing, "what am I to do?"

Markos slapped the arm holding up Slavion and gripped the elf by the shoulders, jarring the mage slightly,

"Do you love her?"

"I..."

"That is a 'yes' or 'no' only!"

"...Yes."

"Would you do anything to keep her from dying?"

"I was..."

"Nuh uh uh, 'yes' or 'no'"

"...Yes."

Markos smacked the mage on the back of the head sharply, his eye twitching,

"Then what the hell are you doing still here! Go save her you fool!"

Slavion gripped the paladin's shoulder, his expression grateful before sprinting out of the inn to go grab his staff and gear from his quarters.

Markos leaned back in his seat, shaking his head, "What in the blazes would _anyone _do without me around?"

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**What indeed? And what ever will happen next? I hope you all will see this to its end to find out! I am not sure how much longer this is going to be, but I will let you know when the ideas start to run low (not happening as of this moment though- rest assured!). Thank you again to you all and I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I am not sure when I will be updating, maybe by next Thursday because finals are coming up rather quickly and we all know how that is, sadly. **

**~_Ever-Wandering_**


	9. To Save My Enemy

**Hello all once again, I apologize for the delay of update it has been a _long_ week. This chapter is shorter than others, which will be made up for I promise. I hope you all enjoy it at least! **

**shadowdemon6: Thank you for your review! Her dad is just a mess, lol. Yes, Markos is truly one of a kind haha. I appreciate your support, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Except for the characters I made.**

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Gear in hand, Slavion practically threw himself out of his front door, his heart beating wildly in his chest and his breath coming in short pants by this point. How could he have been so stupid? Sending Wenz back to Dalaran had seemed like a good idea, but now that he thought more about it he could only curse his stupidity.

He sent her back to the portal room, therefore there was likely to be Alliance and Horde cramped in that rather small space, so seeing a portal appear out of nowhere would come as a bit of surprise...and a hell of a lot of suspicion. Groaning in despair, he hit his forehead with his staff several times, cursing as he did so yet oblivious to the amused glances he received as others passed by.

The reason he had sent her back was because his king was right, he did feel for the draenei paladin and that was a writ of doom. There could be no happy ending there. So why was he panicking? He straightened, furrowing his brow as a dark thought crossed his mind. What if he left her to her own fate? What concern would it be of his?

Everything would be solved...right?

Wrong.

He began to curse again and knew that he must look absolutely ridiculous to anyone else but _damnit _he just did not know what to do! Markos had been right on the money. He loved Wenz Strider, he did not want her to get harmed, and he did want to do something to save her.

_But what?_

The initial plan of Wenz acting as a blood elf for a period of two had seemed at first like a good idea, but she just did not fit in _well _enough and he would rather be slain by a murlock than let a fiend like Velen catch onto her slightest error...

This line of thinking led him to growl angrily, ice magic radiating off his form in thick waves of warning. If _anything_ happened to her, he would throw himself off a spire. He truly was hopeless. This line of thinking was getting him absolutely no where and he just had a terrible gut feeling that Wenz was running out of time.

"Are you about done there, Slavion?" an amused voice caught his attention and the mage looked up to see Markos trying not to laugh, a rather large band of Blood Knights some distance away in attention, waiting on orders.

Slavion resisted the urge to flick the paladin off and resorted to glaring at him, "Can I help you, Markos?"

"It is not I who needs help here, cousin. I however can help _you_." Markos replied smoothly, his expression serious.

Slavion's brow rose, "Help me how?"

"Cousin, use your intelligent mind will you? From my reports, I have heard that Wynona," he winked at the mage, who nodded once, eyes sharper, "was taken to the Exodar and has been imprisoned. It is quite the bought of gossip in Dalaran, apparently. A dwarf was placed in a holding cell in Dalaran to be questioned and a high elf was as well."

Slavion's eyes widened, he grabbed the front of Markos' armor, his tone urgent, "This high elf, what was his name?"

Markos looked grim, "Your companion, Luka. It does not look good my friend. That is why I offer my assistance."

The mage groaned softly, squeezing his eyes shut before pinching the bridge of his nose, Markos laid a hand on his shoulder, comfortingly, "Trust me, you want my help. I plan on rescuing several individuals of importance by making two stops, one at Dalaran and the other at the Exodar. I also am to be met with a group of undead rogues as well. Come with me, Slavion, and listen to what I have to say."

Slavion could only nod numbly as Markos slid an arm about his shoulder, while motioning for his troop to follow.

'I am coming for you, Wenz.' Slavion thought, his fists clenching and his eyes darkening to emerald.

He would _kill _any who hurt her.

...

Wenz could only glare at the hulking figure of her father before her, ignoring the line of blood that ran from her mouth distastefully, "You have no proof."

"I have _plenty _of proof you traitorous wench!" Vindicator Altros hissed, his eyes blazing as he hovered over her, his hand ready to strike her once more until she spoke up once more.

"Hit me until I am unconscious. You _have no proof_, Vindicator." The paladin spat blood at his feet and kept her gaze locked with his. "You sent Celtor to be questioned for nothing and have caused the future of a high elf to be in serious jeopardy over what? Listless gossip?"

"You achieved the impossible, is what that elf said," Altros sneered, lowering his hand but continued to glare at her, "you _made _one of our sworn enemy fall in _love_ with you. Do you are to refute this, my daughter?"

Wenz threw her head back and laughed bitterly, a grim smile now on her face, "I did that? How absolutely hilarious! Is that it then?"

Altros glowered at her furiously when a soft rapping drew his attention away from her abruptly, "I am busy!" he snapped irritatedly, Wenz smirked.

"Vindicator Altros, you are needed urgently. The Prophet needs to see you." A messenger's voice replied coolly before departing. Her father grumbled curses under his breath before storming out, glowering at her from the doorway of her lit cell.

"We are not done here, Wenz."

"I believe you have been summoned, _father_." She taunted to which he slammed her cell door shut with a loud bang before stomping away angrily.

"Ignorant fool," Wenz muttered, shifting restlessly in her constraints, her wrists chafing against the cool metal of the chair she had been shackled into.

Those _bastards _had taken everything from her. Her money, her gear, _everything_.

She thanked the Naaru she had burnt Slavion's letters earlier on while still under the disguise...

Just the thought of the blood elf made her stomach flutter and her heart race. Her father she could stand, he had tried to intimidate her like this when she had been younger and a hell lot more diabolical. In this way, she could protect that stupid mage.

Her father would get _nothing_ out of her.

She prayed for the safety of Celtor and Luka, their reasons for being imprisoned she did not know because she had literally woken up chained to a chair in a cell in the Exodar.

Funny how things worked out like that.

Her eye twitched angrily and she hissed, "When I see your sorry ass again, I am going to _kill_ you." Slavion was going to regret zapping her away like he did.

She would make sure of it.

...

"Altros Strider here as ordered sir."

"Vindicator, I am glad you are here, we have a situation," The Prophet began softly, nodding at several others that were flanked around him, "and it is becoming desperate."

"What is it sir? What is going on?" Came an inquiry that Altros himself demanded to know. He had _much_ better things to do.

"A raid unlike any other and its intent is unknown. I just received word from some draenei on scene in the present area of Dalaran of a mob of blood elf knights and undead making a run through the town."

All eyes widened- Dalaran? Were those Horde fools that mad?

"However, they have not engaged any in combat, but they did do something that may be of interest to you, Strider."

The Vindicator mentioned rose a brow, truly not caring what the hell the Horde was intending at the moment.

"They rescued a high elf prisoner by the name of Luka and a dwarf by the name of Celtor."

Altros fumed, bowing shortly to the Prophet before turning away from him, "Forgive me sir, but I believe I know just who to ask about what to do next." Wenz had _much_ explaining to do.

He had _more_ than enough proof now.

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**Of _course_ he does. I hope you enjoyed this. I plan on updating whenever I can (not sure- but it will not be as long of a wait as this one) so once more thank you to my readers and shadowdemon6. **

**~_Ever-Wandering_**


	10. The Woes of a Paladin

**Thank goodness for a break! I apologize sincerely for the long wait- I am a little iffy about this chapter, so I hope you still enjoy it...if not well I am definitely open to suggestions but this is not the last chapter (despite its' title- hehe). This one is a bit more dramatic/sad/ kinda funny. Thank you to all who have read up to this point and to my wonderful reviewers shadowdemon6 and SeaSalt Ice-cream.**

**shadowdemon6: Thank you! Her dad just needs to be smacked around a bit...or a lot. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you for your review!**

**SeaSalt Ice-cream: Thank you very much! Wenz is definitely a character isn't she? Haha, I love snarky sarcastic characters. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you for your review!**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, you already know. **

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Luka Galenth stared astounded by the sight before him, a brow rising slightly as he shifted to his feet shakily, "Slavion? Markos? What is going on?" He moved to his cell door where a blood knight stood and motioned for him to stand back which he did without any protests.

"Hold on for a second Luka, I will answer that as soon as I can get this infernal door open..." Slavion grumbled, trying to freeze the lock off the door to no avail, his eye began to twitch irritatedly.

"Wait, how did you get _in_ here? There were at least ten guards stationed at the entrance of..." the high elf was cut off by a blast of fire magic and the door sailing across the room. Slavion stood in the entrance looking smug before bending down and wrapping an arm about Luka's shoulders and hoisting him up.

"That, my friend, is quite simple. We negotiated." Luka's arched brow returned to which Slavion only smirked.

"Along the way, we must press on." Markos ushered the two down the ornate hall, sending signals behind for his guard to keep watch. Rogues could hold off mages for only so long after all.

"Wait...wait we cannot leave yet." Luka frowned stopping short.

"Whatever gear that was taken from you I will happily buy to replace." Markos replied but Luka shook his head. His expression serious.

"Gentlemen, we have gone far beyond judgement. So I ask you to allow me to rescue one more from these cells." He looked from Slavion to Markos whose expressions mirrored unease and bordered suspicion.

"If it is a gnome..." Slavion began tartly, "I will have to put duct tape over his mouth." Markos snorted.

"No fool, it is a dwarf. He was taken prisoner at the same time I was and..."

"We know, lead the way." Markos cut him off gently, placing a hand over his shoulder as their pace sped up to a jog as shots rang out from behind them.

"Much better than a gnome..." Slavion muttered sourly, "what is he? A warrior?"

"Paladin actually and he is a close friend to Wenz. It might appease her if you rescued him as well." The high elf threw the mage a look to which the blood elf winced. He was still in a stink pot for sure.

"Very good point there Galenth, Wenz probably is out for blood by this point." Markos teased following Luka as they ran down a joint passage from his own cell.

"I saw him being led this way." Luka explained quickly, stopping in front of a cell, casting a look over his shoulder as Slavion approached.

"As long as he does not try to kill me..." a large fireball molded into his hands which he thrust as the door, sending it across the small cell.

In the center of the cell, sprawled out, was Celtor unconscious looking worse for wear. The blood elf paladin cursed softly moving over to the silent dwarf and scooping him up carefully as not to jostle any unseen injuries other than the ones plain in sight judging from the blood dried in various places on his face.

"He was interrogated by someone." Markos commented gravely, moving swiftly out of the room, Luka and Slavion following close behind.

"Most likely by that huge oaf of a draenei that ambushed us." Luka muttered darkly, his light blue eyes darkening.

"He was also most likely the one to have taken her to the Exodar as well. Luka, have you strength enough to send a small troop, myself, Markos and you to there?" Slavion asked softly as they exited the cell chamber and emerged in a circular chamber where a dozen or so high elf mages lay unconscious. Luka's brow rose at the scene.

"Negotiated huh?"

"Thanks to our allies, the undead, yes. They are only unconscious." Markos interjected quickly and moved over to assess the condition of his group.

"Yes, Slavion, I have gathered enough strength to port us, but I may need help maintaining it. Although I was not 'interrogated' I was drained of all my mana resources. What are we going to do when we get there?" Luka asked already knowing what the mage was planning from the glint in his eye.

"Simple, we negotiate my friend." Slavion grinned at the high elf's elaborate eye roll.

"Somehow I get the impression I was not rescued just because you were concerned for me."

"Oh you of so very little faith, I want as little blood shed as possible save for the hide of this oaf a draenei who attacked you all."

"Very well, let us begin. I trust you, Slavion Bloodfell, this had better work. There is no turning back now."

Slavion nodded, his expression serious, "I know. I will face those consequences as they come. After this, everything will be different."

Luka did not respond immediately but held out his hands conjuring up arcane magic, Slavion following suit slightly as they began to open a portal to the Exodar.

"Can you face your king? He will not forgive this."

Slavion gazed into the purple energy flow gathering around them as Markos moved about them, mobilizing the knights and rogues readying them for the shift of location.

"Can I ask another favor of you, my friend?"

Luka's brow rose inquiringly, Slavion chuckled.

"That polymorph spell, how quick can you cast it again?"

The high elf mused over this, "She should still be affected by the after shocks of it. That was a highly intricate spell I was in the process of developing for warfare, and I took careful steps into making sure its result was nothing less of perfection. I believe that since it has only been a day since our capture and her release of the spell, I may be able to cast it again. What are you plotting Bloodfell?"

Slavion smirked as an image of the colossal Exodar shimmered before them, taking a step into the portal, "What else, Luka? My fiance was kidnapped and I want revenge."

Luka watched as the mage shimmered and disappeared, Markos barked orders sending in his band of blood knights but ordered the rogues to stay behind as damage control- and to make sure they were not followed.

"Well played, well then, Ms. Strider, I hope you are ready to go." The high elf smiled slightly before following in after Markos.

...

Wenz's heart was pounding in her chest so loudly she could hardly hear the Prophet speaking to her, his gaze stern and grim.

"Speak child. What do you know of this situation?" He was questioning her, the _Prophet_.

_Well played, jerk._ She slanted her eyes at her father who was smugly watching the scene before him, satisfaction rolling off him in thick waves.

"Prophet, can I ask you a question?" The paladin ask calmly, holding herself up a little straighter, trying her best to hide her shaking limbs.

"Does it relate to what I asked you?" The draenei leader replied, slightly abashed.

"Very much so sir. What is your opinion on judgement?"

The Prophet remained silent for a couple of seconds, his eyes narrowing at her, "Judgement is neutral. It is applied to us all. It is what will guide us to justice."

Wenz nodded in agreement, "Sir, I..."

"Prophet sir! We need to get you to safety! They are here!" A royal guard came sprinting towards them, sword drawn and tone urgent.

"Impossible, how?" The Prophet demanded, thrusting his staff down on the ground.

"A portal sir, they have hostages!"

"What are their demands?"

Wenz's eyes widened, unable to believe what she was hearing. He was _here_. _Idiot!_

Vindicator Altros' expression grew lethal and he stepped into the circle, grabbing Wenz by the arm and growled , "They are here for _her_!"

All eyes returned to Wenz who was trying to jerk away from her father, but he held on vice- tight making her wince in pain.

"Vindicator, why do you believe this?" The Prophet asked, brushing off his royal guards who were trying to push him up another flight of stairs to safety.

Altros did not very well want to say 'because of my gut feeling!' but he knew. He heard that high elf traitor and Wenz's companion dwarf chit chatting. He knew damnit!

"With all respect sir, I find this situation suspicious. Only after I brought her here has this raid broke out. I am only assessing this logically." Wenz snorted.

"Very well, Altros, you are to confront them, ask their demands and have Wenz accompany you. Everyone else stand on guard at the entrances, we cannot let them in. There are far too many civilians around, since it is close to Christmas, evacuating would be far too difficult. If all else fails," the Prophet paused, his bright eyes darkening, "I will confront them myself. Now go and may the Light be with us all."

Everyone moved at once, Altros roughly ushered Wenz through the crowd ignoring her jabs and sneers along the way.

"You are such a damn fool, what do you honestly think you can do alone?"

"Shut your mouth!"

"A small force of Blood Knights plus their commander, a mage, a high elf mage and hostages- what do you intend to do?" They were close to the entrance, guards shifted behind them ready to seal off the entrances.

"I intend, Wenz," he hissed, pulling her arm jarringly, "to unveil you for the traitor that you are and pass judgement upon you."

The doors sealed shut behind them, Wenz's lips quirked slightly as she felt an all too familiar aura close by, "You are making a big mistake, Vindicator Altros." she cooed, her eyes glinting.

Her father tried to snap a retort but his eyes grew wide in horror instead, his grip on her arm gone and he took a step back, "What the hell is this?"

"Like I said, _father_," Wenz purred, staggering a bit as the aura vanished, "you have made a very big mistake." She was a blood elf again- oh the wonderful irony of it all.

"Devilry! What happened to my daughter? Who are you?" Altros roared, brandishing his sword to which the female before him threw her head back and laughed.

"Why, I am Wenz Strider, who else would I be?"

_Well played, pretty boy._ Wenz smirked, feeling a bit of deja vu. She never thought she would play this persona again but it felt amazing somehow.

"Draenei," a cold voice hissed close by, followed by another aura of lethal ice magic, "you will pay for the crime you have done against me."

From the edge of the platform, a blood elf mage stood, his wand brandished towards the Vindicator behind him stood a small army of blood elf knights as well as an imposing figure of their leader, faces grim. In chains slightly behind the leader, was a high elf and an unconscious dwarf, their heads bowed in submission.

Luka all the while was trying not to smirk in success, feeling faint from over using arcane power. It was all up to Slavion now.

"Crime? What crime?" Altros demanded, looking about him for back up, cursing under his breath.

Wenz backed away from the Vindicator to stand at Slavion's side, leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek before unsheathing her sword. Slavion felt a chill run through him but noticed her bloody lip and bruised cheek and felt a growl escape his lips.

"Kidnapping, you _will _suffer my vengeance." Slavion took a step towards him but Wenz laid a hand on his arm. He frowned at her and opened his mouth to protest but she cut him off.

"I must end this." The palaldin said quietly, brandishing her sword before her and advancing towards her stunned father once more.

"Vindicator Altros, what he says is true, you kidnapped me, his fiance and you will pay."

The Vindicator scowled, "It is you isn't it? This was all apart of their plan. You have planned something like this all along in spite of me haven't you?"

Wenz's grin turned feral, she cast the group behind her a wink before letting the arcane disguise drop, Luka threw up his hands in exasperation. What the hell? That took all his strength too!

"Yes father, it is me. I have been in spite of you since I was a little girl and saw you for the murderer that you truly are."

"Traitorous wench. You will die, if not by my blade, by the Prophet's own doing. You will face justice."

"Not before you, dearest father. Tell me, why have you hated me so all this time?" They began to circle each other, eyes locked.

The Vindicator's expression grew murderous, "Your mother, you are just like her. And she betrayed me just like you have."

Wenz stopped, her brow furrowed but her sword still held before her, "What?"

"That's right, Wenz. Your mother died a traitorous wench just like you will," something dark stirred in the man's eyes that made Wenz take a step back, "by my own hand, by the Light, I will do it again!" He rushed towards her, sending her flying back into a wall, not giving her any time to retaliate her pinned her to the wall, grabbing her throat and slamming her against it.

"B-Bastard! You truly are a murderer!" The paladin spat, kicking and thrashing in his hold furiously, tears ebbing down her face.

"I brought down justice upon her blasphemy! She who _dared _to use her Light given holy healing powers to heal and resurrect the demons I fell by my own blade, she who dared to stand against my protest that any not on the side of the Alliance deserved a swift death, and she dared to even try to stand and fight against me," the draenei paused, his expression muddled, "she left me with no choice."

Rage unlike any other burst forth from Wenz, sending her father flying back, and she fell to the ground crying out, "You are such an ignorant fool!" She gathered her sword and met him in the center, light magic flashing about them, thunder clapped overhead as rain began to descend upon them.

Markos placed a hand on Slavion's shaking shoulder, feeling the mage's fury, "This is her battle. You cannot interfere."

"I want to flay that bastard limb from limb." The mage sneered, ice growing around him in thick sheets.

"She fights for her honor, if you interfere-"

"-I am not going to, she will kill him."

Unknown to them, another watched the battle between father and daughter, tears making their way down his face in agony.

"Prophet..."

"This is irreparable. Do not interfere. I understand now, Wenz Strider, I understand your judgement."

"What about the blood elves...?"

The Prophet's grip tightened on his staff and his eyes darkened,

"These blood elves have no quarrel with us. Do not engage them."

Wenz locked swords with Altros, the eyes of her people, the one she loved and all the rest of the world upon her at that very moment, she laughed ironically to herself as she spun away from a sweep from the Vindicator, rolling away from a blunt attack to her midsection and rose to her feet. For once she was grateful for the rain- it hid her despair.

Such were the woes of a paladin.

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**Like? Hate (hope not =\)? Thank you for reading, thank you to all my readers so far, shadowdemon 6 and SeaSalt Ice-cream and anyone who has favorited this story it means a lot and is my number one source of inspiration :) I will update ASAP- because I now can! **

**~_Ever-Wandering_**


	11. It Is Done

**Hello all! Merry Christmas to you all (even if it is a bit delayed...that's the holidays for you though)! I hope everyone has/ is having a safe and wonderful break and I hope you enjoy this update as well. Thank you to all my readers and once more to shadowdemon6!**

**shadowdemon6: The intensity has only just begun I am afraid! Her dad gets a bit redeemed in this chapter, poor chap. I hope you enjoy this one! Thank you for your review!**

**This is a pretty intense chapter and I am sad to say that we are approaching the end to this story, but it is not this chapter more likely to be the next one. You will see what I mean when you finish this one up :) Thank you once again to all my wonderful readers, reviews, favoriters and so on you have inspired me greatly and I hope I do not disappoint any with this update. Until the end!**

**Disclaimer: WOW belong to Blizzard. Slavion, Wenz, Markos, Luka, Celtor and Altros are all mine :)**

* * *

Thunder clapped overhead as rain continued to pound relentlessly onto the now soft earth, two figures illuminated by lightning flashes were at a stand still. One towering over the other, sword point directed at the other who was sprawled on the ground, weapon far from reach.

Wenz could feel every bit of rage ebbing through her veins, every trepidation this draenei had her suffer through, every humiliation, every ounce of pain and here was her opportune moment to put it all to rest once and for all. A bittersweet expression crossed her face as she spat a mouthful blood to the ground. Any bit of pain that was previously inflicted to her had long grown numb because finally, _finally _this was her chance!

Lying prone and vulnerable on the ground was the Vindicator, his eyes widened in shock and apprehension, his hands clawing about him desperately for his broadsword, but it was no where within reach. Wenz had made damn sure of it.

Yet, his eyes narrowed slightly at his daughter who had yet to finish him, he saw in her eyes hesitation as well as fierce hatred. This was not over just yet. He sneered, his chest heaving slightly as he did so, "Afraid to take your dear father's life, little Strider?"

How she _loathed _that name! His audacity never ceased to amaze her, she chuckled grimly, her heart beating rapidly in her chest, "You do not know how much I want to take your life, father," she paused, blinking water out of her eyes, cursing the rain as she did so, "but that would make me just like you, and I am not a murderer."

"No, you are not a murderer, you are a coward." Altros replied with a smirk, grimacing as his side flared in pain. His smirk widened as her face contorted with fury, her hands shook on her sword grip, "You are also a traitor. Do not forget that."

"Shut the hell up," Wenz hissed, jabbing his chest armor with her sword, "you know _nothing_! Your blind ignorance could never comprehend anything past your narrow-minded ways!"

"My narrow- minded ways may not make any sense to you, daughter, but they do make sense with the Alliance. What you have done is treason, with our worst enemy no less. A blood elf! A god forsaken blood elf! Why? Why have you betrayed me like this?" Altros roared, Wenz grew silent, her face stony.

"I never answered to you, I do not have to start doing so now." The paladin replied coldly, Altros shivered slightly, "I was right all along was I not? You have always hated me, always resented me, never truly loved me. Was it because I never met your expectations? Was it because I reminded you so much of my mother? Why father? Answer me just this one question."

The Vindicator did not answer for a couple of minutes, his expression grew very weary, he ran a hand down his face with a long sigh, "Wenz, I never hated you, after your mother died, I stopped being a father. Yes, as I told you before, you are just like your mother. Even now, when I could be dead, it is as if I am facing her once again." His eyes narrowed suddenly in pain and he looked away from her.

"I never wanted to see her dead, I do not want to kill you, but you must understand my position. Your mother committed a severe crime, she knew it, I knew it and everyone else knew as well." At Wenz's questioning gaze, Altros sighed again, "She killed ten guards watching over some high interest Horde prisoners, one in question being the now sitting regent king of Silvermoon. Her reasoning was that torture would never result in anything but more blood shed, more resentment, and even more reason for continued wars and sadness. She healed and freed them and I was sent to track her down and deliver her justice."

Wenz's eyes widened and she took a step back, her hands shaking even more,

"No, no way! I was told that she was a great hero! That she was one of the first draenei priestess who-" at her father's tragic expression she choked, and shook her head in disbelief.

"That is what was commanded to be told to you. In reality, your mother was a wanted criminal," the Vindicator felt his heart clench slightly and heat behind his eyes, "I loved your mother, she was my entire world. She delivered me from darkness and showed me light I never thought existed. When I went to the area where it was rumored she was hiding out with the fugitives, she was already dead."

"Did she-"

"I do not even know the answer to that. Whether by her own hand or by the hands of those whom she saved, she died before I could do anything. That is the truth, my daughter, I do not ask for forgiveness, I ask for acceptance and for the truth from you." Wenz had long since removed her sword from his throat and backed far away from him, still shaking her head.

Vindicator Altros rose to his feet shakily, coughing raggedly, his eyes sad and his expression worn, "Wenz-"

"You had said far enough, Vindicator Altros."

Wenz and her father both froze at the interruption, Wenz's eyes widened to plates her mouth dropping open in horror, "No-no way, how are you here?"

The Vindicator turned sharply, wincing regrettably at the pain that flared down his side, to see the cause of Wenz's open fear and felt terror flood his being as well.

"My, my what a _spectacle_! I daresay Slavion, you sure do know how to add a wonderful dramatic effect." From the shadows of the bordering trees, Champion Velen approached, a vile smirk growing across his face. He was not alone.

"Slavion, how many draenei are you planning to kill today? I had only meant for you to be rid of of _that_ one," another voice broke the gloom of the scene, and it had Slavion, Markos and Luka all freeze in place, "but was it necessary for you to wreak such havoc? I have been getting endless reports from blood elf witnesses to this entire ordeal and got fed up with it enough to come and see it for myself." Regent King Lor'Themmar cocked an elegant brow questioningly at the gaping mage ten feet or so from him, crossing his arms across his chest.

"It is as I told you, sire." Velen crooned, flashing Slavion a wicked smirk.

"So it is. Markos, why are you here too? What is the meaning of this? Explain your actions wisely." The blood elf regent king demanded, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Markos swallowed, holding a hand behind him for his knights to stay back, and knelt down before the king, "Sire, Slavion requested my assistance in case attaining the girl would be an issue, since she was in the Exodar at the present time, and he knew that one elf alone would not be enough to get through alive."

Meanwhile, Wenz had hoisted an arm about her father and was leading him to the entrance of the Exodar as quietly as possible save for her father's protests.

"That is enough, father," the paladin chided, banging on the door with all her strength sighing in relief as it cracked open, "this is my problem. I must face it alone."

"I will not allow it! No! Let me go!" The guard behind the door nodded grimly at Wenz before manhandling the injured Vindicator inside.

"I have two other civilians I wish to remove from this as well," the paladin told the guard, her limbs shaking slightly, "please have someone ready to receive them."

"Right away ma'am." Wenz turned, using her sword as a crutch, and ebbed over to the cluster of Blood Knights who eyed her warily.

"You all had nothing to do with this," she paused, looking over their heads to see Slavion, Markos and Velen all arguing while the king just stood monitoring it with a displeased expression on his face, "I need the dwarf and the high elf, they need to get to safety."

Nodding tersely, one of the knights passed her the rope which connected the two "hostages" together, she whispered her gratitude and took hold of it. Luka met her gaze with a stormy expression.

"We should have been more careful." The high elf whispered, despair in his voice. He held up a still unconscious Celtor who was breathing shallowly- he needed medical care. Wenz took over for the high elf, shaking her head with a small smile on her face as she hoisted the dwarf's arm across her shoulders.

"Do not blame yourself, you have been amazing Luka Galenth. I can never thank you enough for all of your help." She untied them as they slowly walked to the doors where several guards rushed out to take them to safety. In the doorway stood the Prophet, his expression somber, Wenz smiled at him.

"I expected this to happen, sir, I deserve no less than justice right?"

The Prophet did not say anything, but began to murmur softly, raising his hands in her direction and closed his eyes. Wenz felt a warm aura cleanse over her and her eyes widened in surprise.

"The Naaru will watch over and protect you, my child. Your father is in good hands, and I apologize for deceiving you like I did. Now go."

The paladin nodded at him, her heart pounding painfully in her chest as she turned around, only to collide into the hard chest of Velen. She took an immediate step backwards but he wrapped an arm around her throat, his other hand twisting her weapon from her hand, "How I regret to reunite with you in such a way, my dear sweet Wynona." he whispered in her ear, his free hand cuffing her wrists together. So they knew it all.

She laughed dryly despite herself, "The weight of your regret almost makes _me_ want to cry." The blood elf snorted and pulled her up to stand before the regent king.

"Your smart mouth has led you nowhere but into trouble, goat, I would close it while I still had the chance. Now that you are alone and abandoned by your entire people, even your dear Prophet will not save you." He sneered into her ear before pulling away to stand by Lor'Themmar's side, she wanted to rip his smirk off his face.

Markos and Slavion stood in frozen silence at her approach, Slavion's eyes widening in fury at Velen who just sneered in his direction.

"Here she is Slavion Bloodfell, be done with it and let's be on our way." The King ordered, fixing his emerald gaze upon Wenz inquiringly.

Wenz's eyes widened and she shot Velen a look to which his smirk grew wider. The King did not know! What was Velen playing at?

Slavion's heart was beating so rapidly in his chest, his eyes fixated on Wenz's form. Although her injuries had been healed by her leader, she still looked bedraggled, she looked to be in such pain. Markos shifted uncomfortably at his side, his expression lost of all its usual cheeriness.

The mage knew if he waited too long, the king would kill her himself, and he could not allow that to happen!

To his continued to horror, Wenz bent her head, and spoke quietly, "Be done with it."

Time stood still for that moment, the king, Velen, and Markos all vanished. It was just himself and Wenz again, like they were before he pushed her into the portal. Heart pounding painfully in his chest, the blood elf approached the draenei, his eyes searching for hers. Her head rose and his heart broke at the sadness in those beautiful gem colored eyes but there was a smile on her face too which piqued his curiosity.

Without further ado, and because her patience had suffered far long enough, Wenz rose suddenly, reached up to the frazzled mage she had come to love and pressed her lips against his, hearing the king's and Velen's cries of outrage in the background. "Trust me, we will get through this. Even if we both have to die."

Wait- both?

That was when he felt a searing pain in his abdomen and looked down to see a sword jutting of it, his eyes widened searching for his killer wildly but felt a hand on his face that calmed him down instantly.

"Now me. It's okay, trust me." The paladin whispered, tears making there way down her face at the anguish on Slavion's face.

Everything had been thrown into chaos, but Slavion felt his magic sharpen into a cylindrical blade with a deadly sharp point, tinged with ice. In the background, Velen and the regent king were naught but dull tremors, they could not touch him nor could they touch Wenz. The pain in his stomach worsened and he coughed up a mouthful of blood, his vision blurring nauseatingly.

"Do it." Wenz whispered pressing her other hand to his cheek, resting her forehead against his, their lips inches apart practically breathing each other's air. He grimaced with a soft groan, raising his other hand to run through her long black hair and run over a soft cheek.

"I trust you, even if we should both die and that be the end, I trust you," his grip on his ice blade tightened, his vision grew bleary through the pain of his fatal wound and from the pain of what he was about to do, "please, _please_ forgive me." And he thrust the blade into her stomach, cringing as he felt her warm blue colored blood cover his hands. She continued to smile at him even as her eyes grew lidded and she fell to her knees.

Time resumed suddenly, colors whizzing by Slavion as he too fell to the ground gasping softly. He was inches from Wenz's fallen form, his hand reaching out to her weakly. She blinked blearily at him, smiling wider before chanting something in her foreign tongue, and then she grew still.

"What is the meaning of this? Markos! What have you done?" He could hear Velen screeching obscenities.

"I, Champion, did what needed to be done." The blood elf paladin replied curtly. So it had been Markos, faithful and loyal to the very end. He would never get to make it up to him.

"So that is the extent of it," the regent king was speaking, his eyes saw only flashes of light and dark, so when the king hovered over him as one great shadow that was all he knew, "he was in the right, Velen, so it is done."

"But sir-" Velen protested. How amusing- why in the blazes would Velen of all people care about him dying?

"Enough, we are leaving." Shadows shifted so all that was remaining in his vision was light, he sighed contently, he was close now.

"What of his body?" Markos asked.

"Leave it, let nature consume it for all I care. He betrayed his people. He is dead to the blood elves. As is his goat companion to her people. What a pathetic fate." Lor'Themmar sounded more bitter than he did disgusted but his voice grew fainter as did Velen and then they vanished altogether.

Slavion coughed raggedly and instantly Markos was at his side, grasping his hand, "Slavion-"

"I know."

"I am so sorry-"

"Thank you."

Markos' expression grew bewildered, he grimaced at the blood running from his dying cousin's mouth and the blood pooling beneath him, and his grip grew tighter.

"Is Wenz-?"

"She is, my friend."

The mage's expression grew peaceful, he reached out to the draenei his hand grasping her own, and a smile grew across his face, "So it is done."

Then there was only darkness and Markos could not stop his tears.

* * *

**As I said, this is not the end! But what could happen next? Find out in the next update (better ASAP this time...sorry about the delay...)**

**Happy holidays everyone!**

**~_Ever-Wandering_**


	12. A Reason to Live

**Hello all! So I lied, this is not the last chapter...maybe the next one will be, most likely...I am just stuck I enjoyed writing this too much! I want to thank all my readers, favoriters and to shadowdemon6 for reviewing every chapter- seriously, you are the best.**

**shadowdemon6: You are just too kind, thank you so much for all your support. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**So this is just pretty much all...well I want to give it away but I will not, that would be just wrong. But I am sure many could guess. Read and enjoy (and review if you so wish!)**

**Disclaimer: If I owned WOW...well it would be a bit different :)**

* * *

"_Trust me..."_

"_Even if we both should die and this be the end...I trust you."_

_..._

True blue, the end of the line, reaching out to that distant horizon and seeing that light at the end of the tunnel...death. This was death.

Yet, it was not quite as he had imagined it.

Light was everywhere, it was warm, it was gentle. It held him tenderly and he so wished he could open his eyes and see it for himself, yet his eyes did not obey his wishes, so he remained sightless. Yet this vulnerability did not scare him it only brought him more peace. His entire body felt light, weighing practically naught but air. What was his existence now?

To have gone from being a blood elf mage of Silvermoon under the rule of a regent king to falling in love with his sworn enemy. What did that make him now? Should he ponder such thoughts in such a beautiful place when he felt such tranquility? Something stirred in his being, whatever he was, and he felt a rush of happiness and reached out for it.

That something wrapped around him lovingly, words of an ancient language he did not recognize were whispered soothingly, and the peace he felt then was indescribable. Living had never been this wonderful. He only hoped that wherever Wenz was, she felt this warm too, this peace he never thought imaginable. Whoever, whatever it was that was granting upon him something he did not deserve, he wished he could convey his gratitude.

Soft chuckling met him then and a rush of excitement filled him, he knew that laugh anywhere and reached out to it, vainly wishing for his eyes to open!

"_Trust me_," a gentle voice whispered, something caressed his face and he found himself leaning into it desperately. When had he grown so soft?

Then, as if whatever force guiding over them all granted it, his eyes blinked open and what he saw brought tears to his eyes as a smile stretched across his face.

"_Trust me_," the voice whispered again and he nodded his head, reached out with an arm to the golden light in the distance, letting it envelop his entire being and fill his vision with nothing but gold.

...

"Should we intervene?"

"None of this ever happened, we saw nothing and will do nothing."

"So, what should I report to her father? He is distressed."

"That his daughter fell in the line of duty along with her companion."

"He will never recover from this, Narkessa took so much from him as it was."

"The Vindicator is a strong draenei, he will recover, with time."

"So the fate of Wenz Strider?"

"Wenz Strider," a long pause and a heavy sigh, "is no longer apart of this world."

"What of the bodies?"

"Come, we must share this new with her companions and relay to them that their bodies were taken by the blood elf king."

"But sir-"

"No questions, come, they have waited anxiously enough and I heard that the dwarf recently woke up."

...

Slavion found himself in a new place after waking up from being immersed in the light, and was relieved to see that his body was in one piece. The area about him was a forest, heavily wooded with thick, old trees that shadowed the forest floor letting in very little light. It was not a place he recognized and he felt apprehensive, he may be in one piece, but he was also devoid of all his magical power and weaponry. Dressed in a simple tunic of the purest of whites, he sighed sadly.

So he was still dead.

"_Child...come to me_." a voice whispered in the gloom, echoing about him and sending chills down his spine. Who was that?

He really had no other choice, he soon realized, seeing as the forest was caged around him save for a small pathway before him.

"To whatever end," the mage murmured striding forward determined. Wherever he was, he needed to find Wenz, and whoever this being was well that would be the first one he would ask!

The grass beneath his feet was soft, whispering about him gently as he moved down the path towards a distant light. Energy and adrenaline surged within him and he began to sprint towards it. The same feeling he had felt before was returning, that warmth and peace, all of his answers were about to be answered.

"_Blood elf, come to me_."

Entranced, Slavion stepped into the clearing, his eyes widening at the sight before him. A being hovered in the air, shrouded in a golden light that resonated from it in thick waves, yet it was below this figure that caught his eye instantly.

Wenz!

Lying on the ground, face relaxed as if sleeping, and dressed in attire similar to his own he found himself rushing to her but was stopped short by an invisible barrier, he banged on it frustratedly, clawing at it desperately. What if Wenz was hurt? What if something had happened to her? What was holding him back?

"_Slavion Bloodfell_, _calm yourself."_

"Easy for you to say whatever you are!" the mage protested, gesturing to the still draenei wildly, "Let me see her! Please!"

"_Only if you are willing to listen."_

Slavion's protests died in his throat and he stood up straight, his eyes never leaving Wenz but he nodded shortly his consent although his heart was pounding in his chest.

"_Do you know who I am?"_

The blood elf's eyes moved up to the hovering figure, furrowing slightly, "I do not but I can speculate- are you the Naaru?"

"_You are correct. I am that which protects the draenei people and any who are deserving of my power. Such as this draenei before me, Wenz Strider."_

"So she is okay then?" Slavion asked urgently, his hands fisting at his sides.

"_She will be- if you will it."_

"Whatever do you mean?" He retorted, frowning at the creature, folding his arms across his chest.

"_As you are aware, the reason Wenz Strider is in this state is because of you. Her life is on the edge, by your choices, she will live or die."_

Slavion winced, running a hand up his face tiredly, covering his eyes, "Do not remind me," he stated softly, his voice haunted, "what must I do to bring her back to life and why are you doing this at all?"

The creature, the Naaru chuckled softly, chills raced through the mage and he took a step back, "_All you need to do is ask for her life to be returned. I am doing this because she asked me to in her last moments."_

"So there is not a catch or anything is there? She will be completely herself again?"

The Naaru remained silent for a couple of moments, though he imagined, if the creature could smile, it would be. "_Come Slavion Bloodfell, give Wenz Strider a reason to live."_

Slavion's legs were moving as soon as the barrier fell, his arms wrapping about the still girl and bring her close to him, his lips inches from her ear. She was so cold, he rubbed her arm with his free hand coaxingly while tears flooded his eyes.

"What did she ask of you?" The blood elf whispered, rocking her back and forth gently, his heart pounding more painfully in his chest.

"_That no matter what, you live. Even if her death was the end, but I believe her faith in you is what brought you to this point." _

It was as he thought, Wenz saved him. She brought him back to life.

Shamelessly, tears ran down his face and words spilled from his mouth before he could think of anything else to do, "Wenz Strider, you saved me after I drug you through so much hell. You put blind faith in me, your supposed worst enemy, and never abandoned me or betrayed me," he sobbed softly, his tears increasing as he placed his head under her chin, rocking back and forth, "through everything, you were there for me. No one has ever done anything so pure for me. How ironic that it should be the one that is my enemy." He pulled back, his vision blurred as he ran his hands down the sides of her face.

"Come back to me, I owe you my life, _please_ come back to me. You have showed me a world I never thought I could exist in. Even if our factions despise us for it and see us as dead, I honestly could care less," he paused, a smile working its way across his face as he leaned back down, relishing in the warmth he felt from the Naaru behind him, silently observing the scene, "you are _my _lazy, foul- mouthed, air headed goat and you cannot end this way. I will not allow it."

The Naaru chuckled behind him but he ignored it and imagined that it was just he and Wenz alone, his lips a breath's inch away from her own, "Wenz Strider, I do believe I love you, is that reason enough for you to return to me?" And he kissed her, praying to whatever cared that his words would be enough.

His lips molded against hers and a shudder ran through him, and just as he was about to pull back a hand was pushing on the back of his head, keeping him right where he was. He gasped softly in surprise as two eyes opened and narrowed up at him. Before he could say another word, a hand stilled his lips and she spoke softly.

"It worked, thank the Naaru." She smiled radiantly at him and he wrapped his arms about her and pulled her tight against him.

"So you heard me?" Slavion whispered, tears continuing to fall, as his hands caressed her sides gently, his face burrowing in her now warm neck.

"Every word, _jerk_," Wenz teased, her voice soft still as her lips pressed against one of his ears, "and especially that last part, what was that one more time?"

The blood elf pulled back, his eyes running over her face, those beautiful eyes, that teasing smile, and despite the heat that rushed to his face he replied, "I love you. More than you could possibly imagine."

The draenei giggled softly, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close, her eyes lidded, "I can imagine, because I love you just as much." This time, as they met, lips sliding over each other's, time was not an obstacle, nor was anything for that matter. Light glowed over them, the warmth and tranquility washing over the pair as they reveled in being next to the other again, not noticing the changing of their surroundings or the gentle hum of the Naaru behind them. All they saw was each other.

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**Never saw that coming huh? Yeah, I am a bit predictable *siigh* oh well, I cannot complain. I really am not a fan of tragedies or sad endings, so this is my solution! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and expect to see the epilogue (maybe...I need to make up my mind...) very soon! Thank you all for you support and especially to shadowdemon6 :) **

_**~Ever-Wandering**_


	13. A Not So Woeful Ending

**Hello all! Yes, this is the end, and I sincerely hope that you like it, it was so hard to write! As always, thank you to all my readers, favoriters and especially to my reviewers shadowdemon6, Kippie, and Meerkatgirl13! You all are the best!**

**shadowdemon6: As always, thank you so much for your review and support! I am vey flattered and I greatly appreciate your continued support throughout this story! You are just awesome :)**

**Kippie: Thank you!**

**Meerkatgirl13: Thank you so much for your review, I have not seen enough blood elf/ draenei fics so I decided to try and fix that :) thank you very much! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**I really hope this one is okay, it was very hard to write and I am a bit worried about the flow, but I wanted to give you all the end, because you deserve it! Thank you all again! Enjoy and review if you so wish!**

**Disclaimer: I only own my ever wandering imagination :)**

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Celtor bowed his head, tears seeping through closed lids as he inhaled deeply, about to begin his speech. His heart felt unbearably heavy and the entire atmosphere of the crowd gathered was dark and forlorn. The sky agreed, shedding its own tears upon them, scattering across the earth and soaking them all to the skin. At this point, the dwarf hardly cared but he swallowed his despair and spoke, his voice carrying across the gloom.

"Wenz Strider was many things, brave, loyal, stubborn at times, yet always true to her word," he paused, blue eyes scanning the crowd, daring them to make a protest, "she was my partner, my friend, she was practically my sister. When she came to Ironforge, weak in stature yet eyes holding a fire that could never be tamed, I knew, as well as our King that she would do the dwarven people, as well as the Alliance proud," he smiled slightly, chin lifting to the dark sky, "I used to tease her for attitude, she was so different from the standard paladin and it was a difference I cherished. My friends, remember this proud draenei paladin not in despair, she died exactly the way she wanted to and would not want any of us to grieve her passing. Hell, she would probably raise Hell if we did!" Soft laughter greeted him along with murmurs of agreement, Wenz's attitude was familiar with many at the Exodar, especially those who had been close to her in her youth.

"I will not lie, when I was told how she fell," he stopped, tears burning in his eyes as well as a hatred that could never be quenched, "I wanted to storm Silvermoon City and have the head of that bastard myself," he shook his head, gesturing to the monument at his feet, "yet she would never have forgiven me if I had. She always hated cold blooded violence, and she died fighting. My friends, this day we remember and toast to Wenz Strider, may her memory never be forgotten..." the dwarf paladin trailed off, turning his back to the crowd that muttered in agreement before scattering away one by one until only one other stayed behind.

"You and I both, Celtor Ironheart," came the voice of the Vindicator, rough from his own grief as he approached the crouched dwarf, kneeling beside him, "revenge alone would not be able to sate the pulsing hatred in my heart," the draenei sighed tiredly, placing a hand on Celtor's shoulder, "I owe you an apology-"

"Save it, leave the past where it belongs. I understood your desperation, I was worried about her as well. Yet," the dwarf looked over at Altros, noting the despair on the other's face and chose his words carefully, "I never would hurt her. I never would allow anyone to bring her harm. When I heard..." Celtor paused, frowning slightly, "for some reason I instantly accepted it, because it is something Wenz would do."

"I never knew that, I failed her as a father, the death of her mother took a toll upon me and I never regained that love and she suffered for it," Altros whispered somberly, looking down at his hands that were shaking slightly, "I was always so hard on her, because I feared deep down that she too would grow to fight against me and I knew if that happened, it would be my end."

Celtor did not reply to this, merely looking at the large stone before him, Wenz's name carved into the surface along with a phrase he had picked out specifically for her, "Not even death can contain fire", he smiled, she and he had joked about such things long ago.

"_You reckon we are going to face your Naaru when we die?" Celtor, level thirty, whipping around the draenei to parry an attack from a swing from an ogre's club. _

"_Probably, I can imagine the look on its face now," she grinned ferally, her eyes lighting up as two ogres decided to try and bear her down- not a chance suckers!_

"_Amusement?" Celtor asked chuckling slightly as she stuck her tongue out at her slain opponents and doing a victory jig (as she called it)._

"_Bewilderment! It won't know what to do with me!" Wenz threw back her head and laughed and the dwarf joined in, unable to help himself._

"_Not even death could contain your interesting attitude, I am sure." The dwarf snorted, cleaning off his axe as she collapsed next to him with a grunt._

"_Nope! My spirit is probably made of entirely fire for all we know, I would burn a path straight through Hell if I had to!"_

"As I said, leave the past in the past my friend," Celtor rose, extending a hand to Altros who shook his head.

"I wish to stay but thank you."

That was when they both heard it, clear as day and very distinctively- laughter.

Not just any laughter, _her _laughter.

The Vindicator and dwarf paladin looked at each other, wondering if they were losing their minds, but it sounded again, louder this time.

"Wenz?" Celtor called out, running into the torrential rain, looking around wildly. Altros joined him shortly after, they both waited for several minutes but the laughter did not come again.

"Come, it would do neither of us any good to get sick after just recovering." The draenei sounded defeated and as much as Celtor wanted to have hope and wait just a couple more minutes, he felt equally as crushed.

What was he thinking? Wenz was long gone. She was never coming back.

Yet that night, trying vainly to find some way to rest, he found he could not stop thinking about her and wishing for _some_ way that she could come back. The dwarf sighed heavily, staring up at the dark ceiling his heart sinking into his stomach, "Quit being ridiculous." he whispered to himself closing his eyes readying himself for a restless night when he heard it- that laughter!

His heart began to race sending adrenaline rushing through him, but he tried to calm down, he was imagining it, he had to be. Frowning, he rolled over on his side, determined to shut out everything and get some rest. His eyes closed and he knew nothing else but blissful darkness and light? What?

"_Celtor Ironheart, hear me."_

_The voice was very comforting, it sent warmth through him and he felt himself relax involuntarily. Maybe there was hope in getting some rest after all._

"_Celtor, be at peace in the knowledge I bear wonderful news."_

_The dwarf wanted to seem more alert at this statement but found he could not- never before had he felt such exquisite peace, it was unlike anything he had ever felt before._

"_I hear you, whoever you are." He mumbled sleepily, sighing softly. Whatever and wherever he was did not matter- he wanted to feel this peaceful for the rest of his life._

"_You know who I am and I was sent here by someone very close to you."_

_A rush of hope swelled within him and his voice reflected it, "Wenz?"_

_The voice chuckled softly, he felt something wrap around him carefully, tenderly, his once heavy heart lifting as if all its weight had been discarded into nothingness. "You already know the answer to that, my dear dwarf."_

_His eyes opened and widened as his mouth fell open slightly, a hand reached out before him as tears filled his eyes, "Is-is that you?" his voice was naught louder than a whisper but it was heard nonetheless. Wenz strode forward, smiling widely, grabbing the dwarf's hand and pulling him to her._

"_Sweet blessed Naaru! It is you!" Celtor cried wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly, waiting for himself to be snapped awake and all of this never happened._

"_Blockhead," the draenei scolded, swatting upside the head, "did I not tell you that not even death could contain me?" _

_The dwarf laughed shakily, pulling away from her but holding her hands in his, looking into her eyes deeply, "This is real, right?"_

"_I should be insulted but yes, this is real, by the blessed Naaru's power, this, __all__ of this," she gestured to herself her smile widening,"is real."_

"_So you are alive?" He asked, his grip on her hands tightening. Wenz's smile turned into a wicked smirk, her eyes dancing with mischief._

"_Perhaps," then her gaze grew serious, "but you cannot tell anyone, or else I will really die." _

"_Why?" _

"_I was exiled, Celtor, the Prophet, he cut me off. He had no choice. I was claimed as dead to my people, therefore I am dead to the entire Alliance."_

"_So what now? You come back to life just to live in hiding?" He was frustrated by this, he frowned at her but noticed the spark of mischief growing back in her eyes. _

"_Not quite, besides I am not alone. Everything is going to be different."_

"_What do you mean? That elf! He is with you?" His tension dispensed at the gentle look now on her face, his lips quirked. "Dear me, so he really __was__ your elf all along!"_

_Wenz said nothing but the flush growing across her cheeks was answer enough, Celtor chuckled softly, drawing her into a tight hug once more. "What of your father?"_

"_Do not worry, he is next actually. I wanted to see you first, you were so sad," her expression darkened and her arms around him shook, "how __dare__ you blame yourself for my actions...you always were so foolish." _

_Celtor did not respond, there was no reason to, he just hugged her, if possible, tighter. They remained this way for a while until he spoke up at last, "I owe him, he saved my life. When will I get to meet him formally?" _

_Wenz drew back from him, grinning impishly, winking at him before turning around and walking in the opposite direction, "Now if I told you __that__ then everything would be ruined!"_

_He opened his mouth to retort but she had already vanished. What in the blazes?_

...

The following morning when the dwarf went to the kitchen in the Vindicator's home (he had requested for the paladin to stay with him- it was the least he could do) he noticed that Altros was already there, sitting at the table his expression open and much more at ease than it had been the day before.

He looked up as Celtor entered the kitchen, their eyes locked and a mutual understanding was met.

"She is alive." Altros said softly his hands curling on the table while his eyes grew blurry, Celtor nodded, smiling slightly.

"She gave you a smack down too?" The dwarf asked, chuckling at the Vindicator's exasperated expression.

"Not just that, she berated me for lying to her and went on and on..." the draenei smiled, a tear sliding down his face, "then she grabbed me in a hug and forgave me, for everything."

"That is Wenz for you." Celtor shook his head slightly, chuckling once more at the bewildered look on the Vindicator's face.

"Yet," he frowned now, more frustrated than angry, "she told me that we could not meet again."

The dwarf did not reply to this, Wenz was smart to do such a thing. It would risk too much.

"I suppose it is for the best, I am just relieved she is alive and well. I was never a father to her, so I cannot amend for that now, I hope she is happy wherever she is." Altros leaned back, wincing slightly as he stretched his sore ribs.

"Me too, come, let us eat, I plan on returning to Ironforge today and I know that your men want to see you as well." Celtor said meaningfully to which the Vindicator agreed.

He did not mention Wenz wanting to see him- hopefully anyway, and was grateful that the Vindicator had not asked about it. Now the only question was when she was going to pop up...

...

Arms tightened around her as her eyes opened up, she smiled and turned her head to meet the pair of lips waiting for her to awaken.

"You looked cute as always, my dear." The blood elf purred, nuzzling her neck while his hands caressed her sides.

"Just for you, I am _cute_." The paladin snorted but could not help giggling softly when he began to tickle her, he hovered over her, his expression playful but loving at the same time.

"How are they?" Slavion asked softly, running a hand down her face, noticing tears building in her eyes.

"I never imagined they would be so heartbroken, especially my father," she shook her head slightly, placing a hand over the mage's hand, smiling slightly at him, "but they are okay now, but I will need to finish up some things before we get settled in here."

Slavion nodded understandingly, rising up from their place on the soft earthen ground, holding a hand out to her which she took gratefully standing up next to him placing her hands on her hips.

"I do as well." He wrapped his arms about her waist, placing his chin on her head, rocking them slowly. She leaned into his embrace sighing contently while gazing up at the sun before her.

"The Naaru could not have picked a more beautiful place for us to start over, this was my favorite area back in the day to come to. It is so open. I love it."

"I agree, Nagrand was one of my favorite areas as well, despite some dirty areas, I enjoy the fresh air. Now, my darling," Slavion paused, loving the flush that crept up her neck at his words, "what do we do now?"

"First we need to change our appearances, not dramatically, like hairstyles and whatnot. I do not plan on quitting being a paladin nor do I expect you to stop being a mage but something has to give, but we will get to that later on after we are done with everything else." Wenz turned in his arms, facing the blood elf, looking into his poison green eyes deeply.

A brow rose at her actions as well as a smirk, "_Yes_?" he practically purred at her, she tried in vain to hide her dark flush but failed to which he chuckled at before she cleared her throat, giving him a serious look.

"You are stuck with me pal, for better or for worse. From day one, you freezing me in place in Warsong it was inevitable," she smirked slightly, "so no matter what, you hear?"

Slavion's smirk widened as he leaned forward, touching his nose to hers, "I would have it no other way." he whispered, closing his eyes enjoying the warmth of her presence, his heart fluttering as her hand traced his face lightly.

"So, what's first?" His lips were inches from hers, his breath teasing along her parted lips as his arms drew tighter about her.

"I want to chop my hair off," Wenz sighed as his lips pressed to her jawline, "and I really want to see you with blonde hair."

His lips were teasing across her jaw, inching up to her lips, "Have something against red heads now?"

The draenei giggled softly as he butted heads with her, pouting slightly, "Of course not, but we have to make some sacrifices so our lovely locks of hair are going to have to be the first to go."

"I guess I can live with that, then what?" Slavion's lips teased along her own, he waited patiently for her answer loving the soft whine that escaped her lips.

"Damn tease," she snipped, wishing he would just kiss her already! "We take care of unfinished business, I see Celtor, give my dad a letter, you see Luka and Markus..."

"Then?" He traced his tongue along the seam of her lips, she gasped softly.

"T-Then we come here and..." she paused lost for words but her face flushed darker, Slavion laughed out loud.

"Make this place," he kissed her gently, "our home and," he kissed her again more deeply, "discover what we will do next."

Wenz groaned softly, her arms wrapping around his neck as he deepened the kiss, pressing her against his chest as their tongues began to battle for dominance.

"We were exiled, can we be a paladin and a mage after that? Without being discovered?" His lips moved to her neck, nibbling gently at the skin he pulled back, placing a hand on her cheek, caressing it slightly frowning slightly at her.

"Who said we had to continue fighting for factions that no longer recognize us?"

"Then what?"

Slavion's lips stretched into a wide smirk, he went down on one knee, Wenz sputtered, her eyes widening as he pulled out a box from the pocket of his pants (they were both still in their tunics).

"Marry me, Wenz Strider."

Wenz gaped at him unintelligently, she pinched herself hard, "S-Seriously?"

Slavion took one of her hands, pressing his lips to it, his eyes boring into hers, "This was in my pocket when I woke up, it is meant to be."

The words "yes", escaped her lips as he placed the ring on her hand, spinning her around, laughing joyously her joining in.

Whatever future lay before them, good or bad, despite all the odds, despite everything they had endured together...they had survived. Woes of a paladin be damned! With Slavion's arms tight around her, his lips pressing against hers and the sun rising behind them, yeah, it was _disgustingly_ sappy, but she would not deny it- life was great and it would forever be so.

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**The end! I hope once again that you all enjoyed this story, thank you for all of your support throughout this story! Until next time! **

**(Once again, thank you shadowdemon6, Kippie, and Meerkatgirl13, you all are just awesome!)**

**~_Ever-Wandering_**


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